Aching In My Heart
by rol-sa
Summary: what if? . . .Gambit had joined the xmen before Rogue. Rogue is a part of the Weapon X programme but she's desperate to escape and she gets her wish, only to run straight into the arms of the xmen's latest recruit. Read and review and please no flames.
1. Never look back on hell with tired eyes

Disclaimer: If i owned the x-men would i seriously be writting fan fiction? You know the drill the character's used belong to ther respective owners bla bla bla.

Summary: What if? Alternate Universe. Gambit joins the x-men before Rogue does in fact Rogue's never heard of the x-men. shes been locked away in a secure facility somewhere near the x-men's home as part of the project Weapon X. One of the original ten she tries desperatley to escape her past after escaping hell, but will it all just come back to haunt her no matter how hard she runs?

* * *

She ran wildly through the forest, her head dizzy and filled with raging voices as the sedative she had been given slowly began to ware off. She gripped her head with one of her hands, letting a small moan of pain escape her lips as she fought her way through the dense area she'd just hit. The voices she could hear were driving her crazy, they'd never been this bad before and she knew why. A new psyche was fighting away for her say, possibly even for control. Carol Danvers, an ex-military woman who now worked for the organisation that captured and enslaved people as if they were no more than stray dogs. Captured people, no mutants, just like her. The word sickened her to the pit of her stomach, mutant. Just thinking that it was people just like her that had imprisoned and tortured her and so many like her, it made her want to die. She shuddered and smirked at the irony of it all, people just like her were imprisoned and by the very people they should have been able to trust, people like Carol.

She stumbled over a fallen branch as she heard the sound of vehicles and rabid dogs behind her. She had considered flying away but given that she could barely walk let alone run, which she was doing extremely badly at that moment. She considered it a safer option to stay on the ground, well, for the time being. She paused against a tree just in an attempt to collect her thoughts, or at least what were now her thoughts. She knew there was a road nearby, a road that would take her away from this hell but as much as she clawed away at the thoughts she just could reach the one she desperately needed, directions. Knowing a road was there was all well and good but without directions or flight she could run around the forest for hours and never find a way out.

"Stupid girl ya shoulda stayed in ya cell." She murmured as she rubbed her forehead once more before beginning to run again as the sound of the dogs got uncomfortably close. As she ferociously and easily fought her way through another patch of overgrown, dense undergrowth she stumbled and slide across a tarmac surface. She sighed and stood from the ground dusting stray pebbles that had clung to her damp skin. She studied for any grazes that should have been left on her uncovered waist by the hard surface, but Carol was still fresh in her mind and she should have remembered that her skin was now impenetrable. She glanced around the surrounding area, the moons light providing enough light for her strange eyes to focus on a figure not far down the road. And they had a bike. She ran, as best she could towards them, her body tired and ready to give up the fight.

As she got closer she could feel her heart beginning to sink, the bike didn't look all that different from the ones she had been chased down on before. She slowed her pace from running to and uncertain walk as she prayed to god that her gut instinct was right and her head was panicking for no reason. The stranger seemed to have picked up on presence and turned to look straight at her, she paused for a moment, like a deer caught in headlights. His eyes burnt into the dark night air and she didn't doubt for a second that he could see her perfectly. She had only ever seen eyes like that on one other person, herself and even then it had only been one of her temporary transfers. From completely black eyes glowed with a burning crimson. She also knew such eyes meant only one thing, he was a mutant and that meant he could so easily just be a guard for those people. Her fears were only reassured as he stared at her as she struggled to keep her balance; he put a cigarette to his lips and lit it with a tiny explosion of light. He took a drag from the cigarette while seductively leant against the bike before he spoke.

"Ya alright petite?" He asked in a strangely familiar accent but she had been secluded from civilisation for so long she could not remember from where it belonged. She felt weak; her mouth was dry as she tried to speak, preventing words from escaping her lips. She shook her head; it was all she could think to do. As soon as she had, she wished she had not, her head pounded even harder now and all she longed for was sleep and silence. Unfortunately today did not seem her lucky day as the sound and wind created by a helicopter's blades neared and nearly knocked her off her feet. She stumbled forwards and to her surprise into the arms of the stranger. He smelt odd, for years all she had smelt was sweat and blood, he did not smell like that there were hints of exotic spies her taste buds and once craved and the cigarette's he smoked. He held onto her shaking arms, though they did not shake because it was cold but instead with fear and the desperation for sleep.

"Mutant no. 007 stand forward and give yourself up!" The voice was propelled down on them over a loudspeaker. She seriously contemplated moving forwards, it wouldn't be fair of her to get the stranger mixed up in all of this, he probably already feared the organisation enough as it was. Shakily and hesitantly she tried to step away from his chest but his strong arms kept her close. "I repeat, give yourself up." The voice was demanding and filled with annoyance for the trouble she had caused.

"Let me go and get out of here." She whispered it was all she could manage through her exhaustion.

"No can do Cherie, ya in need o' Remy's help and he ain't gonna leave ya here wit dem." She was surprised he had been able to hear her voice; it had been so faint that even she herself was not sure if she had really spoken the words. "Dere gonna be a bright light in a moment petite, ya may want t' close ya eye's." She wished she could but she knew if she shut them now even for the smallest amount of time she would not wake easily. She watched as he lifted a playing card from his pocket, she watched even more intently as the card burst to life with a glowing hue of energy. With impressive and deadly accuracy he threw the card, it sliced through the air with ease heading straight for its target, the helicopter. In and explosion of light and heat the vehicle exploded, yet as she had suspected the men and women inside had found their way to safety. "Maybe now be a good time t' leave, non?" he asked as he mounted the bike. She watched helplessly as he dragged her weakened form with him. He revved the engine and watched with a smirk as the mercenaries ran towards them. "Hold on Cherie." He whispered to her before she grabbed his waist in timing with the movement of the bike. She watched sleepily as he flipped a small box open on the ride handle. A button was revealed which he quickly pressed. The speed of the bike impressed her she could only match the excitement to the speed of flying.

* * *

It did not take them long to both outrun their chasers and to arrive outside a large but beautifully kept mansion. They had driven up the drive as silently as possible and she waited for him to dismount before she considered doing the same. Her body again denied her the strength for the independence she craved and she stumbled off the bike and once again into his strong hold. "Ya not t' good on ya feet, eh Cherie?" She remained silent she felt like she were going to drown in his eyes as he stared at her awaiting an answer.

"Ah guess not." She whispered, her body still refusing an attempt she made to stand alone.

He looked over her intently as she leant against him using the strength of his hold just to keep herself on her feet. She was dressed in a small sweat top and pants, her toned middle on show for all to see. He admired the curvaceous nature of her body. Even more intriguing to him was the unusual white streak running through the front of her hair. Bright emerald eyes glinted in the moon light but the lids hug as though she were fighting a continuous battle just to stay awake. "Cherie ya still with me?" He asked curious as to weather or not the girl really was alright. She nodded her head but she kept the motions small.

"Ya be lookin' at Remy, what about ya petite ya got a name?" she looked puzzled for a moment and her eyelids dropped before she fought the back open again.

"Rogue . . ." she whispered as he watched her give in to her bodies needs and felt the full of her weight in his arms. Scooping her up into his arms he steadily began his way to the mansion, she may not have weighed much in his muscular arms but he still feared that if he dropped her she might break. He carried her like a fallen angel as he approached the main entrance to the house. As he reach for the door handle it was pulled away from his reach.

"Remy LeBeau! Where the hell have you been? Do you know how angry Logan is?" The dark skinned woman stood before him questioned before she even realised he was carry someone.

"Ssh Cherie ya wake her." He spoke softly afraid to wake the young woman despite the fact he knew she was more likely unconscious.

"By the goddess Remy what have you done?" The woman asked as she stroked away a strand of curled white hair from the young woman's face.

"Long story but Remy tell ya about it later Cherie, right now he wonderin' if ya know where he might find Hank." The woman nodded and rushed him in taking care of the door herself.

"Hank's in the infirmary, he's just tending to an injury Bobby got training."

"Dat boy's too clumsy for his own good." He spoke over his shoulder and he quickly walked to the back of the entrance hallway and disappeared down one of the corridors.

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A/N: i have decided to re-write this story and hopefully complete it this time round. The plot has changed quite dramatically as anyone who read this before will know. so hold on tight as we take a trip round the world of alternate universes and please enjoy the ride.

Everyone is welcome to review, just know how precious such lovely words are to all aspiring and famous writers alike.


	2. Reality haunts us all, eventually

A/N: Ok you've had to wait stupidly long for this chapter so I've made it about 6 pages long on word, hoping this will tide you over for a couple of weeks before I can update again. Read, enjoy and review because it will push me to write the next chapter.

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She battered her eye lids open with her newfound energy. At first the image was hazy and she felt her eyelids close again demanding more sleep even though she did not need it. She would have given in too if something large, blue and hairy hadn't caught her attention. Opening her eyes once more and remaining as silent as she could she observed the room, its walls were cold and steal like, a metal tray with medical equipment lay near the furry blue figure. Her body shuddered against her will at the sight of them. She stayed quiet as fear grew inside of her, her mind screamed for her to run. But at the same time it tried to reassure her that she couldn't possibly be back there, not after she tried so hard to get out. She felt a stinging sensation in her arm as she tried to move, an IV drip was found at the end of looped tubing. Panic spread like wildfire in her veins, it wasn't possible, her skin was impenetrable this wasn't possible.

"I see our patient is up, and how are you today?" The person that spoke was a sight to behold he was broad and larger than life, it appeared that his whole body was covered from head to toe in a thick layer of blue fur, he even had claws on his padded paws. "I know it takes some getting used to." He spoke softly as he watched her take him in her eyes wide with panic and her mouth slightly parted. He turned his back on her for a second and reached for the tray with the medical equipment. When he turned back she was up and out of bed staring at him like a frightened animal as he held a simple thermometer. "Calm down there, getting all wound up isn't going to help." His voice remained level and calm and he seemed neither angry nor surprised by her actions. One part of her brain was screaming at her to calm down and be rational but the other was more convincing to her and it had only one message, get out alive. He approached and tried to take her arm, the action was as deadly as she was. She instantly lunged at him pushing them quickly to the other side of the room and into a collection of shelves. Her IV line thrashed about like a whip before dropping to the floor after being forced from her body. Deep red liquid seeped from her arm as she got up and ran off towards the doors she had spotted as glancing around the room.

Remy wandered along the corridor with a white rose he had picked from Ororo's private garden, damn he'd pay for that later. He planned on giving it to Rogue weather she had woken or not. He shuddered as he walked along the shiny, cold corridors of the mansion basement, it reminded him too much of a place he never wanted to think about again. He stopped and shook the thoughts from his mind and back to more pleasant ones of the beauty he had bumped into one night earlier that week. He looked at the rose once more as he turned the corner and mocked himself.

_Ya gone soft Remy, fallin' for some belle femine ya barely spoken t'._ Then something hit him as he reached for the infirmary door, literally.

Rogue ran into a masculine figure she had not been aware of and they tumbled to the floor. "Fallin' for Remy so soon Petite?" The stranger asked as she quickly shuffled backwards and up against the wall.

"You! Ya helped me, how could ya bring me back here?" She demanded. He glanced at her with a furrowed brow of confusion as Hank McCoy stumbled up against the frame of the doorway.

"Quite a lively one." He huffed as he tried to catch his breath after being winded by her blow.

"Why did ya bring me here?" she demanded, never moving from her spot on the wall. She glared at them both with an intense hatred but even that couldn't mask her fear.

"Petite Remy think ya need t' calm down, he brought ya here 'cause you were hurt, dis be de infirmary" He glanced to Hank who looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps that is not what the young lady is confused about." He suggested, "Remy exactly where did you pick her up ?"

"On de ol' road north of here in de forests, and dere be no need t' say it like she be some kind o' curb fillie. Why ya ask anyway mon ami?" Remy followed Hank as he walked back into the infirmary. He paused and extended a hand for her to cling to but she would not take it. "Come on Cherie a little bit o' trust from us and a little bit from ya in return? Not dat much to ask for, non?" He asked but she did not respond she just stared at his outstretched hand. "We didn't chain ya down or put on an immobilising collar, for long, least ya could do is show de same respect back, non?" She considered what the man had said to her and he was right they had taken no action against her and she had no reason not to trust them, other than a bitter past of betrayal. Steadily she gently lifted her body from the wall and shuffled slowly back into the medical room. Both the men seemed a little more relaxed at her new found agreeable temperament.

"Ah, well then this explains a lot." The blue giant mumbled to himself as he tapped away at the keyboard. She was amazed that with such large paws and the cat like claws on them that he could even use a keyboard.

"Care to share mon ami?" The young man with them asked. The blue giant beast stood from his seat and twisted the computer screen so that it was visible to the two other bodies in the room.

"This is our mansion." He pointed with a large claw at a bird's eye view of the building they were housed in. "And this over here is where I am assuming you were located just a few nights ago when you had the good fortune to bump into this lovely young lady." She was surprised that his tone of voice was genuine and he seemed to hold no resentment towards her from her earlier actions.

"Den she came from dis building here?" the young man asked at he pointed to what looked more like a kind of concentration camp or prison. She studied the map, sure the mansion and 'prison' weren't really all that close but she wanted to kick herself for how easily she could have gotten to safety. "Ya said somethin' 'bout it explainin' a lot, Remy don' understand."

_Remy._ She thought to herself the name did seem familiar and so did he, her memories were a little too vague for her liking but she built together what she could in her mind. She remained quiet, scared that this was all just some well planned trick and at the same time in awe of how trustworthy they were with her.

"Yes, perhaps if you asked her nicely enough she might let me show you her 'markings'" she scratched subconsciously at the spot one would measure for a pulse on her right wrist as the beast spoke, she knew exactly what he was referring to and she was ashamed of what it meant. Remy glanced to her but she refused to meet his gaze and he was forced to ask.

"What markings dey be petite?" She swallowed the lump in her throat and held out her right arm, palm up. The beast stepped out from behind his desk with a strangely coloured light tube. He ran it along her arm a strange icy blue light was traced along the path he directed it in, stopping just above her wrists. Tattooed under her skin were the symbols 007.

"Remy never seen one wit' a star before. Ya know what dis means Hank?" The larger man shook his head.

"I've only ever seen the same one as you." He admitted as he placed the light back into his desk draw.

"It means ah ain't used for field work." She mumbled just loud enough for them to hear. Both turned to her, confusion in their equally unique eyes and astonishment that she had spoken. She looked up her eyes watering slightly. "Ah was used to con influential men into bed an' jus' for the tiniest piece of information." Her tone was bitter and her darting eyes filled with deep self hatred.

Remy glanced at the woman he had admired for the past few days as she had lay unconscious and he could see why she would be given such a task. She was undeniably beautiful and unique, a prize any rich and mindless male official would inevitably wish to claim as his own. Regardless of weather or not she had truly wanted the same. It made his blood boil just thinking that some man could have had his own wicked way with her and that she would not have been able to so much as protest for fear of her life. He could see Hank giving her a similar sympathetic look as she fought away the tears and rubbed her nose on the back of her hand.

"Excuse Remy mon ami, but do you think dat maybe de patient be well enough for a walk." The beast stifled a small laugh which earned him a confused glare from the girl.

"After her little out break I think that she is quite possibly more than ready for some exercise." She smiled in thanks at the large beast, thankful that he held no grudge for her earlier actions. He turned his back on them and returned with a damp cloth. "Here, this should take off that blood." He told her as he handed her the cloth and signalled to her arm. Remy glanced at the arm worriedly.

"She alright?"

"Oh yes, she just pulled out her IV earlier, nothing to worry about. After all it appears she didn't need it as much as I first thought." She held out the cloth for him to take from her.

"Thank ya." She spoke in a small whisper of a voice and the beast smiled at her as he took the cloth.

"Any time." She smiled again before Remy took her hand in his own. She leant away from the hold worried that he would try and get too close.

"Come on cherie lets get ya somethin' t' wear." She looked down at the torn clothes she had been wearing the day she tried to escape and nodded. Remy looked over her for a few moments and she felt slightly uneasy with the way his eyes searched her body. "Remy think ya be about de same size as Betsy, lets go dere first." He pulled gently at her arm as he tried to get her to walk with him but she stood still continuing to lean away from him. "S'ok she not bite, mais she mite try an' get Remy but ya be fine." He sighed as he released her hand and approached her, stopping on the very edge of her personal space. "Lets try dis again, eh?" She wasn't sure what he meant but she made a small nodding motion.

"Not getting anywhere fast with this one are you?" Laughed the large beast and she blushed shyly as she glanced at the floor. Remy frowned but outstretched his hand, not quite touching the skin of her chin but guiding her eyes back to meet his regardless. When her eyes met his again he dropped his hand lower and left it extended for her to take.

"Remy don' mean ya no harm." He reassured her as she glanced between his eyes and his outstretched hand. Slowly she raised her own hand but hesitated just above his, she glanced back to the beast.

"Just let me know if this Cajun charmer gets a bit much, I know a friend who'd still like to have a word about his bike." He winked at her and she noticed how uneasy thesouthern man offering her his hand looked at the statement. She placed her hand in his, now reassured that nothing bad would happen. He smiled at her and slowly guided her to his side.

"Come on 'fore Logan realises Remy be in here." She smiled as he released her hand and let her walk alongside him at her own pace.

* * *

When they had climbed up the elegant staircase and made it onto the second floor they had walked down numerous corridors each as ornately decorated as the last until they finally reached a dark wooden door which she assumed lead to 'Betsy's' room. Remy reached out and knocked on the door. "Betsy, cherie ya got a moment Remy needs a favour." There was the sound of muffled voices before a young woman with purple hair and a scarlet scar across her right eye answered the door.

"What do you want Remy?"

"Remy jus' wanted t' know if ya had some clothes ya could led de fille." He responded and the woman glanced behind him at Rogue as she glanced at her from behind Remy. The woman's features softened as she invited them both in.

"Don't worry darling, that's just Warren." She signalled to the winged man silhouetted against the window. She glanced over Rogue as Remy had in the infirmary and Rogue shuffled close to Remy's side a little uneasy with her surroundings as the woman disappearing into a walk-in closet.

"Don' worry petite, Remy got ya." He reassured her as she looked as if she were reaching to cling to his arm. Betsy quickly returned with an arm full of clothes and she lay them out on the bed.

"Don't worry about giving anything back I've been meaning to clear out my wardrobe anyway.

"About time she did, everything spills out into the room anyway." The winged man moved away from the window and smiled at Rogue while Betsy gave him an intense glare. "I don't think anyone's told us your name." He informed her as he stopped near the fuming Betsy as she sorted through the clothes.

"Rogue, mah name's Rogue." She told them as Betsy rushed to her side and held a selection of clothes against her body. A little taken back by the action she shuffled back to Remy's side.

"Don't panic, you look like a deer caught in head lights." Betsy smiled at her reassuringly as she took her hand and guided her over to the bed. "These are the ones that I think will fit you but your welcome to take whatever you like." Betsy signalled to a pile she had formed on one side of the bed and then to another pile that was up for grabs. Rogue looked lost amongst the wide selection that had been thrown in front of her and Remy stepped in.

"Why don' we take it all den ya can try dem on an' decide, ya welcome t' use Remy's room." He smiled at her as he picked up one of the piles and signalled for Rogue to fetch the other; unsure as to how Betsy could have carried both piles all in one go. Betsy gave him a swift frown and Warren seemed to have quickly returned to the window.

"Don't you let him get a peak at you changing sweetie and if he does your welcome to my help beating him for it." She smiled at Betsy almost laughing at the joke and Betsy smiled back. "You take care luv." Rogue nodded as Remy hurriedly lead her away from Betsy before she could plant any more ideas in Rogue's mind.

* * *

"People here don't seemed t' think much o' ya." It was more of a question than a statement and Remy looked shocked at the sound of her voice. Remy opened the door at which he had paused and signalled for her to enter first.

"Dey jus' don' know how t' handle de southern charm. Ya were quiet back dere Cherie any reason for dat?" He told her as he lay the clothes on the bed. She raised a questioning eyebrow at his statement as she put the clothes she was carrying with those Remy had just dropped.

"Ah'm not really comfortable with psychics." She admitted as he nodded.

"Neither's Remy." He reassured her by opening up slightly aware that Betsy had more than likely tried to probe her mind. "Still dere be a few o' dem here but dey harmless so long as ya don' get dem mad." She smiled at his statement.

"Sounds like ya know from experience." She questioned him with a raised eyebrow but he ignored it and tried to change the subject.

"Anyway, Dere's a bathroom through dat door on de right ya more dan welcome t' use it." She nodded and smiled to suggest she had taken his answer as a yes when he handed her a folded towel.

"Thank ya." She spoke softly and he though he might have drown in her voice had a knock at his door not distracted his attention.

"I'm comin' in Cajun weather ya like it or not!" Before he could even open his mouth to protest his door was thrown open and a man of stocky build stormed into the room. "Ya better have a good reason for runnin' off with my bike or it'll be Cajun for dinner, bub." Rogue's eyes widened at the sound of the man's voice and grew wider still when he came into view. Remy was shocked when her surprise grew into a fierce frown and her emerald eyes shimmered with anger.

"You! Ya promised ya'd come back for us!" She lunged at the man and it took all of Remy's strength just to hold her back.

"Mais, dis ain't exactly how Remy imagined holdin' ya." Remy joked as she swung an arm free of his grip and he struggled to hold her where she was.

"Darlin' I'm sorry but I don't remember ya, should I?" Logan put up his hands in defence and admitted. Instantly she stopped struggling against Remy's hold and he felt a wave of grief take over the woman's body.

"Yeah ya should ya promised t' get meh out o' the programme almost five years ago." Logan's frown deepened as he tried to remember the girl. She sighed and hung her head in defeat as Remy continued to hold her upper arms from behind, more no for comfort than Logan's safety. Although he had to admit it would have been funny to see Logan knocked off his feet. She looked up with teary eyes, "Ya promised t' keep Creed away from meh." Remy could feel her fighting her emotions as she freed herself from his grip. She approached the stocky man calmly but a bitter snarl quickly appeared on her face. "So much for ya promises, eh sugah?" As soon as the affectionate term slipped through her lips Logan's eyes widened just as Rogue's had at the sight of him. He looked as if the floor had been pulled from underneath his feet and he leant against the doorframe a huge weight having been dropped on his shoulders.

"Ya the little girl with the poisonous touch ain't ya?" She kept her back turned on both men and fought away the tears, poisonous, was that still what everyone thought?

"Poisonous?" Remy's voice echoed Logan's statement and she bit on her lip to banish the tears the word brought.

"Yeah, ah hold on long enough ya'll become just another empty shell." She crossed her arms over her chest hugging herself as she stared at the world she could see just outside the room's only window.

"I'm sorry darlin', sorry I didn't help ya." She glanced over her shoulder as a tear slid across the smooth skin of her cheek.

"Sorry doesn't make up for years of abuse though, does it?" She spoke so calmly it sent a chill down both men's spines. She walked towards the window and opened it just enough for her to climb out. "Ya'll want t' help then ya should just forget." She told them sadly as she hovered just outside the window before soaring upwards. Remy ran over to the window and glanced back at Logan with a one sided smile.

"Dat went well don' ya think?" He raised an eyebrow and Logan grunted before leaving the room taking one last look at the window as he left.

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Review and I'll update, you all know the drill. Thanks to everyone that read/ re-read the first chapter.

Bye for now


	3. I feel a tapping etched onto my soul

A/N: Sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter but I've been poorly with some mystery illness for the past two weeks, but I'm better now. I think there's a bit of a jump in the story later on, you'll understand when you read it, and I apologize for it but writers block refuses to let me fill it. As usual I have spell checked and proof read this story many times but mistakes still slip through.

Thank you for allyour wonderful reviews!

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"Any luck mon ami?" Remy raced towards the one man in the mansion he actually dared to call his friend, everyone else was just another person in passing, except from possibly the woman who had managed to drag him here too. The beast of a man hung his shoulders and shook his head slowly, offering a small smile as comfort. "Dat bad?" 

"I can't even smell her scent anywhere and I doubt Logan's doing any better. Betsy can't reach her telepathically either." He wrapped a furry blue arm over Remy's shoulders and guided the exhausted young man away. He watched intently as the usually upbeat and cocky Cajun sat on the very tip of the chair, his head in his hands as he stared at the floor silently.

"Dey find her again if she gone t' far, non?" He glanced sideways to his company never removing his head from his hands. "Hank?" Remy's voice begged for an answer and he longed to tell his friend that it was not a possibility but it was, in fact it was most likely already done if she had travelled too greater distance from the mansion grounds. Hank's head dropped into one of his large paws.

"If she's gone too far it's probably already too late." All he heard was the depressed sigh that escaped the young man's lips before he fell back into silence. Hank watched silently over his friend as he remained unmoving, in fact he would have sworn him dead had he not been able to hear every breath that shook his body with a growing ferocity. Both continued to remain silent as Betsy walked to the doorway of the room and shrugged, offering a sympathetic smile, like Hank, before she quickly left the depressing atmosphere of the room. His attention was quickly caught as a loud frustrated noise escaped the man and he pushed his way out of the room. All that caught Hank's attention was a playing card fizzling out in the centre of the fireplace, the queen of hearts.

* * *

Rogue sat silently hugging her knees to her chest as she bit down on the nail currently held between her teeth, careful not to break it in the process. Her mind was distant and she seemed unable to hold any real focus on the beautiful rose garden surrounding her. Instead she just stared intently into space as if it held all the answers when she already knew it did not. She removed the nail from the grasp of her teeth and began drawing faintly over the skin of her lips with it, the sensation it caused sent shivers down her spine. She gave up on idly staring at nothing and forced herself back to reality; she leant back on the perfectly trimmed hedge and closed her eyes, begging for the darkness of sleep to consume her. 

"Any luck child?" The voice as soft and smooth, the pronunciation of each word perfectly thought out before it was spoken. Rogue shifted her position on the cold stone bench and sat upright leaning subconsciously towards the hedge over which she could hear the voice.

"No. Betsy an' Hank didn't 'ave much luck either. We ain't seen Logan since he left." Remy! Yet again she could feel her mind split. They'd probably all been looking for her and she should have gone back sooner, she glanced up at the last of the dusky evening sky, definitely sooner. But she was like a walking curse and it really was better that they just forgot they ever met her, but they'd shown her such kindness, such acceptance, it would be rude to throw it in their face.

"You know Logan he'll be back when he's ready, probably off sulking somewhere." That voice, it sounded so familiar, like she had heard it somewhere before and yet she was sure that she had not.

"Quoi but Remy ain't worryin' 'bout Logan. If dat fille gone t' far she be back where she was jus' de other day." She shooed away the smile that threatened her lips, his concern was genuine and she wanted to thank him for that much but she couldn't just walk out and scream, 'Ta Da'. Not after the panic she appeared to have caused.

"Give the girl some credit, she's stronger than she seems." Then she heard it, a small glimpse of his rich laughter and she wanted to be drowned in that sound.

"Quoi, quoi, Stormy. Already got a taste of dat t'day." She couldn't see them but she could imagine the woman raising a questioning eyebrow to him, suggesting that he had meant something crude. The woman sighed in irritation.

"Must you always use that silly name?"

"Mmm." She could imagine the stupid lopsided smirk plastered on his face as she listened to his words. Then she heard his sigh of depression and it felt like someone had crushed her fragile heart with their bare hands. "What dis poor ol' Cajun gonna do Stormy?"

"That bad my friend?" There was sympathy in the woman's voice, of that there was no doubt.

"Mais, even Scott would 'ave a field day wit' dis."

"That is bad! Oh Remy don't fret about it I'm sure all is well."

"Remy jus' wish he had de same faith Stormy, really I do." What was she waiting for? She lingered at the edge of the hedge and even managed to catch a quick glimpse at the couple sat side by side in a friendly embrace. She bit down on her bottom lip, she'd messed up, misused the trust they had given her and put fear in all of their hearts and yet it frightened her so much too just walk over and say sorry.

She watched as they walked towards the glass doors of a conservatory overflowing with plant life, forever keeping her body out of sight as she tried to battle away the fear. She tightly clamped her eyes shut as she took an unsteady breath and bit hard on her bottom lip.

"Remy." Her voice wasn't very loud and she was sure that they would have missed it as they entered the glass room. She tried to speak again, to call out, but her voice refused to leave her throat. Despite the quietness of her voice a puzzled and hopeful Remy glanced back outside the door.

"Rogue?" His voice was unsteady and his furrowed brow suggested that he did not trust what he saw, convinced that it was a trick of his mind. She held eye contact for only a short moment before she dipped her head and intertwined her fingers as she tried to build the courage to free her voice. No matter how hard she tried the sounds just seemed to get stuck at the back of her throat and only silence remained. Eventually she sighed in defeat and seated herself on the stone bench where the couple had been sat moments before. Slowly and unsurely he walked over to the bench and seated himself next to her as if she were a delicate butterfly that would fly away as soon as it sensed him.

"Ah'm . . ." Her voice trailed off as it failed her again. She gripped her forehead at the annoyance her loss of speech was beginning to have on her, never before had her nerves or fears been given psychical form, she'd even laughed in the face of men that held blades to her throat, before she was impenetrable. Yet she could not, no mater how much she desired it, fight out the words. Maybe this wasn't fear or nerves maybe this was just guilt, and as far as she was concerned that was exactly how she should have been feeling, guilty. Finally she slammed her hand down on the bench in frustration.

"Ya what? Ya not hurt are ya?" As he asked he reached for the bare skin of her arm before hesitating, aware of what Logan had said earlier. She ignored his actions as his hand lingered just off her skin and shook her head in response to his question. "What den girl?" He asked as he watched her, his hand dropped to the stone bench and was then place directly next to hers. She fought away her fear and indecisions and finally managed to speak.

"Ah'm sorry, ah didn't mean t' be a nuisance. Ah just, ah . . ." she trailed off again as his facial expression changed very little. She tucked her legs up against her chest again and shivered as a cool breeze flew past them convinced that they hated her, that he hated her. Remy smiled softly and removed the trench coat from his body.

"Here, don' want ya getting' cold." He told her as he draped the coat over her shoulders. She bit her lip and smiled graciously.

"Thank ya."

"An' don' worry, ya safe dats all dat matters, non?" She shrugged. "Come on ya could probably do wit' some food an' I ain't exactly eaten either." As if on queue his stomach growled loudly at the mention of food. She smiled and he shrugged back before her own stomach responded to the growl of his. He let a small laugh escape him and smiled widely at her. "Hope all dat time in dat prison ain't made ya loose ya appetite for southern cookin'." He told her as he dragged her back into the mansion, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. As he dragged her away she didn't fail to notice the woman, with a chocolate complexion and snowy white hair, eye them both knowingly.

* * *

After changing and following the directions Remy had given her before leaving her to clean up for dinner she finally managed to stumble across the kitchen. She smiled and tried to bite her lip in order to stop the giggles trying to escape her mouth as she watched Remy standing over the cooker singing loudly and out of key to a song on the radio. When his voice went up in pitch she couldn't contain the laughter or the need to cringe anymore and let out a small giggle that caught his attention. Almost immediately he stiffened up. "Ya been dere a while Cherie?" She nodded and he quickly and silently turned back to the food. She worked her way around the room until she was stood next to him, leaning over the cooker to inspect the food. 

She sighed in content as she smelt the aroma of the meal. Remy took the time to glance over what she was dressed in while she was distracted. Jeans made of faded grey denim sat comfortably on her hips while a jade green top hugged her torso and arms. Her damp hair was beginning to dry in rounded curls and her lips were still tinged scarlet from the heat of the shower. She glanced at him questioningly as he finally made it to her emerald eyes, obviously aware that he had been studying her.

"Not much else wasn't purple." She informed him as if he had somehow given her the impression that he disliked her choice of clothing.

"Dat sounds 'bout right." He gave her a smile before he stirred whatever he was cooking. Abandoning the spoon in the pan he took her hand in his and pulled her into his personal space. Raising a hand he brushed stray white curls from her face. "Ya look trés belle." He almost spoke in a purr and instinctively she backed away from the hold. He quickly released his grasp, almost afraid that he had hurt her fragile form.

"Ah'm sorry ah didn't mean t' . . ." She smiled nervously as she cradled her hands against her chest. Remy shrugged.

"No need t' be sorry. Dis ol' Cajun jus' don' know when he be pushin' his luck is all." She smiled and relaxed enough to release her hands and drop them to her sides. "'Sides, thought dat skin o' yours was, pardon de expression, 'poisonous'." She glanced down at her hands.

"It was." She shook her head, that wasn't right. "It still is." Remy looked confused for a moment.

"Ya can control it, non?" She nodded her head gently as if unsure it was really that simple.

"Ya learn quickly when they threaten t' break ya legs if ya do wrong." Remy nodded slowly, he too had been in a place that he wanted no one else to experience when the x-men had found him and, to be frank, saved his life.

"What about Logan?" She looked confused by the name.

"Logan?"

"De man from earlier, Wolverine."

"Oh, ya mean James right?" Now it was his turn to look confused, he'd heard Logan called by more names than he could count but James wasn't one of them. "Ah shouldn't have said anythin'." She looked worried, her eyes wide with panic as if a secret had escaped her. Remy considered it for a moment.

"We all got secrets Cherie, ain't no need t' worry, Remy ain't gonna tell no one." She smiled in gratitude and leant over the cooker again. "Ya hungry?" He asked with a smile as he observed her eagerly eyeing up the food. She smiled shyly and backed away from the cooker.

"A little, ah guess."

"Ya go sit down, let moi worry 'bout de rest." She shuffled round the breakfast bar to the two arranged places that she had failed to observe as she entered the room and seated herself.

Sure enough after a few moments of fussing Remy was placing two plates of food down on the surface and seating himself across from her. She could feel his eyes on her as she pushed around some of the meal before placing a small amount in her mouth. As soon as she had she desired more, the food filled her mouth with the taste of all the species she had familiarised with Remy's scent and soon she realised it was not only the food she desired.

"Sorry it ain't fresh, didn't have time t' make it properly jus' heat up some Stormy saved for me." She tried desperately to speak but all that escaped past her lips was a moan of delight. Instantly she shied away and dipped her head, he smiled in amusement. "Dat good cherie?"

"Ah guess it's been a while since ah had real food." She reasoned as she concentrated on fighting away her desires for the Cajun man by filling her stomach. Remy followed suit and eagerly dug into his own meal. They ate quietly, occasionally glancing to each other but always after the other had turned away.

Once she had eaten all that she dared she gave the dish a small shove away from her and sighed contently.

"'S matter cherie ya don' like?" Remy asked as he shovelled the last of his own meal into his mouth. She smiled as best she could.

"Ah really don' think ah could eat anythin' else right now." She offered a shy smile. Remy shrugged and took the time to swallow the food in his own mouth before pulling her dish further towards him. She opened her mouth in protest but he jumped in.

"Ain't no point in lettin' good Cajun food go t' waste."

"Ah suppose." She mumbled as he began on what was left of her food. She watched him as he quickly managed to finish the food on her plate as if not an ounce of his own had satisfied his hunger. She watched half in amazement and half in horror almost unable to comprehend how he could possibly not feel full. "Aren't ya full?" She asked as he sighed in satisfactions and stacked the plates.

"Quoi, but food like dat Remy jus' can' pass up." She smiled slightly, conscious of how the spices still intoxicated her taste buds just as the young man with her made her mind swarm with un-pure thoughts.

* * *

She was sitting idly on the cool tiles of the mansion roof gently pushing back the curls that tickled her cheek as they danced on the chilly breeze. Tugging at the blanket she had lifted from the room Remy had given her to sleep in, she kept it wrapped firmly around her shoulders. She heard the foot steps and smelt the cigar odour long before she heard the voice that gave the stranger an identity. 

"Such pretty young eyes shouldn't know such sorrow." She dropped her gazed to her knees as the blanket slid down on the right side.

"No they shouldn't." She didn't disagree with him, she shouldn't have known that sorrow, and she shouldn't have had to live through the heart ache; but she could not sympathise either, because she had.

"You blame me?" He was the closest she had ever had to a real parent, even a woman who could make herself look like the little girl's parent had been less of one than he had, could she blame him?

"Ah don't know." She whispered as she rested her chin against the top of her knees. He stubbed out the cigar butt and let if roll from the roofs cascading tiles as he stamped at the ground with his heel uncomfortably.

"I think I would if I were you." He admitted, again he foot was lifted and lowered to the ground as if accessing its stability.

"You used to do that whenever you passed my cell door." She mumbled into her knees perfectly aware that he had heard weather she intended it so or not. He glanced down to her as she continued to look down over her knees, following the line of the roof's edge.

"Blame myself, darlin'? I did that every time I saw those emeralds shining out in the dark, or heard ya kicking up a fuss, broke my heart every time I heard you weep 'cause of them." She fought back the tears well, years of practise meant she concealed almost every emotion and memory with perfect precision, but those were the only ones that got the better of her. Her nostrils flared in the tail-tell way and her every breath trembled as it escaped her dry lips.

"Ah meant, the foot tapping." She fought out the words, forcing the tears away from them but they still trembled upon leaving her lips.

"Someone used to do it back." He offered quietly as he seated himself next to the young woman. She raised her head long enough to glance into his icy blue eyes and then dropped her head into her hands, her elbows perfectly balanced on her knees. Logan smiled sympathetically; taking the blanket from her he unfolded it and draped the fully sized material around her before wrapping his arms over her shoulders in a sideways embrace.

They remained that way, silently for hours before the silence was broken by the familiar sound of a foot, drumming a tune on the tiles under it.


	4. Be mine and only mine, mon cherie

A/N: Wow, I'm amazed this chapter got written so quickly considering the fact that I had severe writers block with it for a few days.

I felt the need for more Romy in this chapter; I couldn't help myself I swear! Anyway I'm hoping I haven't missed too many mistakes and that you enjoy the read.I know one reviewer was confused by the foot tapping in the last chapter that will be explained somewhere within the next three chaptersI promise, if it's not remind me and I'll be sure to explain it.

Thank you for all your reviews they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, write me more! Please?

* * *

Rogue quietly walked along the corridor towards the kitchen she had found the night before. She rubbed her forehead as she entered the room, banishing the small commotion going off in her head only to be greeted with another in the room she had just entered.

"**Five minuets! I can't even leave you two alone in the same room for five minuets with out coming back and finding her all over you**." The redhead making the majority of the noise was currently yelling at a lean man wearing ruby glasses, and Betsy, who appeared to be paying the redhead little attention. She even looked up from the food she was making to smile at Rogue and signal for her to seat herself as the bombardment of insults continued to come her way. Rogue did as she was told and dodged out of the way of the redhead's flailing arms as she did.

"**And you! Don't you try and get out of this by turning your attention to something else**."

"Jean really, I think your over reacting." Betsy replied calmly as she continued to ignore the other woman and send the man sweet smiles. The bickering continued with the occasional attempt at some input by the man for a few moments before some brief psychic blasts were exchanged.

The whistling of a familiar tune drew rogue's eyes away from the fight as she attempted to turn back and observe the person. Before she could masculine arms were slipped around her sides to keep her facing forwards. The person leant in close enough for their stubble to lightly brush against the skin of her cheek and she cringed at the feeling. As soon as the scent hit her she became aware of just who had trapped her in her seat.

"Remy." She voice playfully scolded him with a small laugh as she tried to wriggle free from being pinned between his body and the table. All the time her worry of skin contact secretly growing.

"Alright, alright. Here, dese are for ya. Logan thought it might be a good idea t' get ya some." As he backed away with his hands raised up in the air he left a small gift on the table before her. Carefully she studied the package before snatching it from the table and delicately removing the paper. She smiled as she pulled out a pair of black gloves and immediately she slipped them on, suddenly feeling so much more at ease with the familiar feeling of fabric against her fingers. Remy smiled as he watched her observe the way in which the fabric encased her hands like a second skin. Turning his back to the commotion he fixed something for them both to eat and turned back with plates stacked high with toast and pastries.

"Nice t' see dey gave ya de full breakfast show dis mornin'." Remy informed her as he began to place a pile of food before him.

"It like this every mornin'?" She asked as she delicately removed her gloves and picked up a couple of slices of toast. Remy nodded as he began to fill his empty stomach.

"Most mornin's. If ya lucky den some o' dem be away an' it ain't so bad." Remy glanced down the table and nodded at Scott through the accusing glares both psychics were throwing each other. "**If** ya lucky." He repeated before attending to his stomach's demands. Rogue finished her first slice of toast in silence and glanced to the other unsure if she could really eat it.

"Ya want some coffee with that darlin'?" she smiled at the voice and watched as Logan entered the room with the familiar chocolate skinned woman. She nodded and Logan poured her one as he got himself something. As she waited for the drink she couldn't stop the paranoia the woman's stare stirred deep at the back of her mind. "Here ya go." Logan reached across the table and handed her the drink.

"Thanks J-Logan." She quickly corrected herself and prayed that nobody had noticed. She sighed with relief as she realised that the arguing couple and Betsy were oblivious to everything else in the room, the stunning coco coloured woman had her back to them and Remy merely shrugged it off. Logan smiled thankful that she had corrected herself and seated himself at the end of the table. Rogue dropped a couple of sugar cubes into her drink and watched the dark liquid as she swirled it.

"Starin' at the bottom of the mug isn't gonna make it go away." She glanced up to Logan and smiled weakly before turning her attention back to the mug. Remy frowned at Logan's comment and watched the southern beauty before him as she sighed helplessly whilst she stared intently at the swirling liquid. As he felt her fighting away the surge of sadness that longed to consume her and he felt a tight squeeze on his own heart. It felt almost as if someone had reached right into his chest with the intention of tearing his heart from it and he realised that was just a glimpse of the pain she knew.

Rogue's eyes darted to the gloves and then back to the coffee. She glanced up at Remy who she was aware was observing her no matter how well he hid it. The redhead was still ranting and Rogue was beginning to find it hard to distinguish between the shouting in the room and her head, she was sure her head was attempting to explode with the pain that surged with each raised voice. She glanced down at the coffee once more, took a long depressed sigh and then as quickly as she could snatching the gloves from the table and disappeared from the room. Logan glanced to the empty seat over the paper he was reading and then knowingly to the doorway, what puzzled Remy most was that he didn't look in the least bit concerned.

"She always runnin' from somethin'?" Remy asked looking worriedly at the doorway.

"A lot happened to her at Weapon X, they did things to her, things they didn't even do to me."

"Weapon X?" The question came from the man in ruby glasses seated at the opposite end of the table.

"Don' worry none 'bout shiftin' dat stick we already spoken t' de professor 'bout dis."

"Shifting what stick?" Logan smiled with amusement; he had to admit no matter how much he hated the Cajun he had to admire him for his ability to rip into Scott without him having a clue.

"Think he's on about the one up you're . . ." Remy cut in.

"Now, now Logan dere be no reason t' go stirrin' things up, now if ya excuse me I got a belle southern fille t' go check on." Logan raised an eyebrow.

"Better watch yourself Cajun, I find out you so much as accidentally hurt her feelings an' I'll have ya doin' extra danger room sessions for a month, one on one with me." Remy hid the panic he was feeling well and mocked Logan with a salute.

"Aye, aye captain sir."

* * *

A wave of relief washed over Remy as he ran out of the front doors and almost straight into Rogue.He was glad she hadn't simply dissappeared like the night before he wasn't sure his heart could go through that again. She was facing away from him and to the large cast iron gates at the very bottom of the mansion's drive. Remy seated himself on the steps and noticed that her feet weren't actually touching the floor. She didn't turn to him as he made his presence known with the shuffling of a pack of cards.

"Did ya ever wonder what it'd be like t' fly?" The question took him by surprise; he could feel her self loathing and sadness but the question didn't fit with those emotions.

"No, tell ya de truth Remy ain't one for heights." He shuddered at the idea of flying, even in the X-Jet; in truth just being levitated off the ground by Jean made him nervous.

"Ah did. Ah thought it'd be glorious."

"Ain't all it was cracked up t' be, eh?" She glanced to him with saddened eyes.

"That's just the problem, it is. In fact it's better than ah ever imagined." Remy frowned as the cards flicked perfectly from one hand to the other despite his lack of concentration.

"Don't think Remy's followin' ya Cherie." She lowered herself to the ground and stood hugging herself as she turned to face him.

"Ah killed for it." She shook her head; she'd never killed for a power, "Ah mean, ah killed for mah life but . . ."

"Don' need t' say no more cherie, Remy knows all t' well." He paused and looked as if he were fighting his indecision over continuing. "Ya sorry ya killed but ya happy that ya survived it. Don' think dat makes ya happy they died, dat ain't what it means. Beat myself up 'bout dat for years, so take it from someone who knows all t' well." She nodded but seemed unconvinced as she stared at the floor beside him. He placed the playing cards back in his pocket and stood over her smaller figure. He pulled the loose jumper neck up and over her creamy shoulder but it only slid back down her arm. He swept away some of her white curls as he tried to lean down and look at her face but she shifted under his gaze.

Eventually his demanding gaze became too much for her and she hovered away from him. He reached out and caught her gloved hand in his; both seemed startled into a gentler silence at the surging emotions the others hold caused. She found herself drawn to the man, no matter how much she fought against it, and subconsciously allowed her body to drift closer to his. She couldn't stop the smile his cocky smirk sparked.

"Fly with me." She almost begged in a sultry whisper that she knew most men would not answer no to, but Remy LeBeau was not most men and she expected him to refuse no matter what she promised him. His cocky smirk turned to a nervous grin which he tried to conceal.

"Maybe some other time, Remy jus' remembered somethin'." She smiled at his antics and kept her body close to his enjoying the energetic and cheerful feelings she received from the man.

"Ain't nothin' t' be afraid o', trust meh." He couldn't deny it there was just something in the way that she said, 'trust me' that demanded him to do just that. She smiled sweetly gave him a quick peck on the cheek and flew away from him. He watched the southern beauty as she spread out her limbs and enjoyed the sensation of the breeze wrapping around her body. She smiled down at him with sparkling emeralds.

"I ain't sure bout dis . . ." He looked even more afraid than a deer caught in headlights and she descended back to him.

"Ya say stop an' ah'll stop it's that simple." She hovered away from him and outstretched her hand. "Trust meh." He couldn't help himself as he reached for her hand, the way she said those words it was like he'd been waiting all his life for her to say them, like she was the only woman he could ever trust. She smiled as he took her hand and she floated closer to his body again. "Hold on however ya feel comfortable." He looked puzzled and she realised he probably wasn't sure exactly how he should hold on. "Here." She whispered in his ear as she appeared behind him and slipped her arms under his, hooking them up towards his shoulders.

"Maybe dis wasn't such a good idea . . ." He mumbled as he shut his eyes tightly and waited for the wobbly sensation that he associated with being levitated and taking off in the X-jet but it never came. When he opened his eyes again he was floating several meters from the floor.

"Didn't want t' go t' high just encase." She told him as he stared down at the floor with amassment, he didn't feel sick and he actually felt safe in her hold. "Ya ok Cajun? 'Cause ah think this is the first time ah've seen ya speechless." He couldn't see it but he knew she was smiling widely, her previous thoughts lost in the moment, he could already feel the sadness that loomed over her begin to flee. She giggled when he failed to respond to her question. "So we actually gonna fly t'day or is levitatin' enough for now?"

"Ya asked Remy t' fly so fly we will mon Cherie."

"Really?" He nodded his head and she started them moving, slowly at first and increasing their speed so gently that he barely even noticed. She made sure to stay to fairly close to the mansion and even increased their altitude to just above the mansion roof. All the time there were no complaints and he never once asked her to stop. In fact a few times he even asked her to fly faster. She sped up more and more rapidly until she was at a speed she still considered fairly slow but that Remy obviously considered fast enough when she felt his breath catch in his chest. "Oh and just so ya know swamp rat, ah ain't yours." He grinned at the comment.

"Dat a challenge?" She laughed at the question.

"Sure why not."

* * *

"I don't believe it! He won't even come flying with me!" The weather goddess seemed angered at the playing couple as she observed them flying over her rose garden at ever increasing speeds.

"Jealous darlin'?" Her company seemed amused by the frustration the southerners caused. She calmed herself and shook her head.

"Just a little upset, we've been friends a long time and he won't even let me go near him in flight." She turned her back to Logan and formed small clouds over her flowerbeds. "She's not even been here a week and he's already up in the air with her."

"They've been through a lot of the same stuff be hard for them to deny that they don't need each others help."

"So he'll let a stranger help but not his friends?" Logan shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and nodded.

"Sometimes all you need to restore your faith in the world is a stranger."

"And after that is she just going to dump him for something more substantial than a stranger."

"I wish." Logan stated and Ororo tore her eyes from her plants to glare at him. "look darlin' we all know me and the Cajun ain't exactly best friends, but this girls like a daughter to me. You seriously telling me you'd want a womaniser like him near your kids?" Ororo smirked.

"I don't have any children."

"I was talking hypothetically." Logan raised an eyebrow to the stubborn goddess, yes she was normally stubborn but she was not usually so dismissive of people. She swallowed the lump in her throat, yes Logan had a point but she knew that more than anything Remy desired to be with someone and only that someone. "Look I ain't here tryin' to pick a fight with you but you've gotta face facts, he's just as likely to hurt this girl as she is him." The weather witch let out a hum of agreement, much against her better judgment, she hated that Logan always seemed to be right.

* * *

Rogue was rudely awakened from her meditation by a repetitive knocking at her door, she didn't have to even go look who it was to know that it was Remy. And sure enough he made his presence know by inviting himself into the room. She raised an eyebrow at him but didn't move from her lotus position.

"Ya think this professor o' yours would have a problem if ah installed some kind of anti-Cajun device on the door?" She asked, slightly irritated that he had decided to not only interrupt her meditation but also by the fact that he had extended the invitation himself. Remy smirked at her as he leant seductively on her doorframe.

"Ya mean t' tell me dat ya don' want dis handsome Cajun comin' an' showering ya wit' affection, mon cherie." He purposely put emphasis on the last two words and knew that it would irritate her. She sighed and closed her eyes returning to her meditating, pretending to ignore him. When she sensed that he hadn't move and was still staring at her she opened her eyes and finally answered the question.

"No ah don't." She told him firmly as she stared at his smart attire of black trousers and an almost black shirt that shone a brilliant crimson where the light hit it; it lay slightly unbuttoned and revealed a teasing taster of his well toned chest. "So what lucky lady managed t' get ya t' scrub up so nice for her?" She asked aware, after a brief talk with Logan, how regularly Remy disappeared from the mansion to go out with some pretty young woman. The 'lucky lady' was meant as a joke and he didn't fail to notice it.

"You are mon cherie, dis Cajun don' have eyes for no other." She was flattered by the statement and the attention but didn't let it show, she didn't want to admit that she felt for this man. She didn't want him to break what little was left of her heart. She let a snort of a laugh escape her body.

"Ah never asked ya t' do anythin'." She reminded him as she rose from the floor with the intention of banishing him from her room.

"No ya challenged moi t'." she glared away the shock of him carrying on with the game and approached him.

"Ya should get out 'fore ah kick ya sorry ass o-ut" Her voice grew silent as she struggled to finish the sentence. She stared at Remy in awe of the outfit he had just pulled from behind his back, a dress of the same dark silky material of his shirt hung before her. Black heels were revealed in his other hand along with a matching purse. It took a while for her to find her voice again which amused him even more. "Ah don't think so Cajun." She told him as she pointed to the hallway.

"But Remy already booked de table an' everythin'."

"Table?" She asked in confusion.

"Quoi at de restaurant, ya know where ya eat stupidly overpriced food, an' enjoy de company o' moi." She glanced at the dress again. Alright, if he thought he could win this game he was seriously mistaken, she'd make him realise how dangerous it was to play with the Rogue.

"Alright." She told him simply.

"What?" She smirked inwardly.

"Alright ah'll go wit' ya." Remy looked confused, he obviously hadn't expected her to agree to the idea, or at least not so quickly. The confusion was quickly replaced by a satisfied smile as he placed the garment and other items in her arms.

"Be ready in une hour, got a surprise for ya, mon cherie."

* * *

Review, go on you know you want to really. Please?

* * *


	5. And the night started so well

A/N: This was a fairly quick update for me and I'm happy to have managed to do this chapter much quicker than the last, as I'm sure all you readers will be. I don't have much to say, the usual appliesI don't own anything and i do speel check and proof read but mistakes still slip through unfortunatley.

* * *

Remy tapped his foot impatiently on the dark timber floor of the lounge. Scott laughed at him as he continually glanced at his wristwatch.

"Don't tell me, the rugged Cajun has finally been stood up for the first time in his life." Scott couldn't seemed to hide how much the idea amused him and Remy just shot him a quick glare before turning back to his watch.

"Looking at that isn't going to make her get ready anyfaster." Jean told him as she snuggled up against her husband, their earlier fallout seemingly forgotten.

"Who knows, maybe it work some day." Remy offered with a charming smile as he tried desperately to remove the idea of being stood up from his mind. It hadn't been the full hour yet but he just seemed to become more convinced with each passing minuet that he would inevitably be stood up by the one woman he couldn't stand to be. He wanted more than anything to be around this woman, thinking that she didn't want to be around him made the grip on his heart tighten. He wanted to win the game but even more than that he wanted to win her. He dropped his head and took out a pack of playing card to entertain himself.

After a few rounds of solitaire there was the noise of heels against the mansion's hard wood floors but the steps sounded so much like Betsy's that he ignored them as they stopped at the doorway. He heard a few gasps from the others in the room and looked up to find Rogue stood in the doorway, the skirt of the dress swayed as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. The tight bodice followed every natural curve of her body and just the sight of her womanly curves sparked thoughts she would surely knock him into next week for. Long black evening gloves snaked up her slender arms and in her hands she clutched the purse he had given her. He finally made it to her face where she bit down on crimson lips; nervous about the attention the outfit received her. Her curls were soft and full, her hair partly clipped back but smaller curls of white hair escaped to frame her face. For a moment he was as speechless as he had been when flying with her, she was a vision in red with shimmering emeralds enticing him to her side.

"Ah'm ah late sugah?" She sent him the most dazzling smile as she spoke and he shook his head.

"No, ya be jus' in time." He swaggered over to her and slipped an arm around her waist. "Ya look trés belle." He whispered huskily in her ear and she recoiled slightly at the sensation of his breath dancing on her skin.

"And like ah said earlier ya don't clean up t' bad either swamp rat." Remy looked slightly disappointed at the lack of a better compliment but took what he could get. He held out his arm for her to take.

"Madam, ya carriage awaits." She looked nervously at his arm before easing slightlyand slipping hers into his.

"Carriage?" She glanced at him doubtfully. Her response only seemed to amuse him more and he smirked in satisfaction.

"Dis way." He gently started them walking towards the mansions entrance. A small crowd followed a short distance behind intrigued as to what the Cajun had arranged for the evening. Rogue glanced over her shoulder at the eagerly awaiting, unfamiliar, faces and slinked closer to Remy's side as if they were stalking her like prey. Suddenly Remy's arm released her and his hands crept up to cover her eyes.

"Remy what are ya …"

"Hush Cherie and jus' trust Remy." She was still tensed at the prospect of being sightlessbut followed Remy's careful instructions down the stairs where a muffled and unfamiliar sound reached her ears before Remy pealed away his hands to reveal the beginning of their evening.

Rogue's mouth dropped and she stared in awe of the sight before her. An open top carriage pulled by two of the most magnificent white horsesshe had ever seen stood before her. She raised a hand to her mouth in disbelief as her eyes welled with joyous tears. The driver smiled warmly at her as she continued to stare at the sight oblivious to the whispering of the crowd behind her.

"Ya like cherie?" Remy's question went unanswered as she silently admired every part of the transport.

"Ah love it." She finally managed to whisper as the extent of the Cajun's effort for the evening was realised. She hoped that this wasn't just to win their little game but decided it better to assume that this was all the evening was to this man, a game.

"Come on lets get goin' for dey all try t' come wit us, non?" She nodded at Remy's suggestion and glanced back at the crowded doorway noticing Logan fighting his way to the front of the crowd. She gave him a quick wave but he seemed more intent on throwing Remy a fatherly glare.

"One step LeBeau, so much as one step out of line and that face of yours won't be so pretty anymore." Remy helped Rogue into the carriage before turning and giving Logan his normal mocked salute.

"Don' worry none Logan I'll get her back here safe an' sound." With that he removed a pair of sunglasses and slipped them on before he climbed up beside Rogue and signalled for the driver to begin their journey.

After only a few minuets of the carriage ride Rogue relaxed completely. Sighing in content she leant back into the comfortable seating. A small smile seemed glued to her beautiful features and Remy couldn't imagine any jewel more beautiful than the one in his hold at that exact moment.She shifted further into his embrace and relished in the human contact without touching skin

"Enjoyin' de night so far Cherie?" She made a content hum as she admired the nature surround the mansion grounds. "Dat good ya speeachless?"

"Ah'm just enjoyin' the ride." She responded, slighly annoyed that Remy wasn't doing the same. She had to remind herself that he was used to experiencing this freedom everyday, to him this was nothing to her it was everything.

"Good." Remy wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer still. "Ya got a pretty smile, nice t' see ya usin' it." He murmured into her hair before planting a kiss on the white streak. That was the last either muttered as they silently enjoyed eachothers embrace for the rest of the journey.

* * *

Rogue shifted uncomfortably on Remy's arm as they entered the restaurant, she was uncomfortable with the crowded area but that wasn't what bothered her most, she just couldn't shake the feeling that this hadn't been a brilliant idea. Remy glanced to her and smiled charmingly, almost as if butter wouldn't melt and she decided to cover her concerns by doing the same back.

"Mister, madam, can I help." As soon as the head waiter addressed them Rogue slinked right up against Remy's side gripping tightly to his arm as the man's eyes wandered her feminine figure. Remy didn't fail to notice the motion either and she saw his jaw tighten at the man's rudeness.

"Oui, name's LeBeau, was promised special treatment by de manager." The man raised an unbelieving eyebrow.

"You are a friend of the manager?"

"Oui." Rogue glanced at him questioningly. She waited for the waiter to leave them to speak with a stranger in a far corner before she dared question him out loud.

"Ya know the owner?" She shifted closer still to him as a man brushed past her shoulder.

"Oui. Ya ok Cherie? Only ya practically leapin' into Remy's arms t'night an' last time I checked ya weren't dat easy."

"Ah just . . ." She trailed off as he pulled her further towards him when the man that had brushed past her seconds before came back. He smiled as he unhooked their arms and slipped his arm around the small of her back, keeping her body overlapped over one side of his own.

"Don' worry 'bout dem jus' stay close an' Remy promise no harm come t' ya. T'night be all about you Cherie" She nodded as she glanced over her shoulder at him. Her head was quickly snapped forwards at the laugh of an approaching man.

"Remy LeBeau! I don't believe it! You finally decided to grace me with your presence." The man that approached was only about and inch shorter than Remy, his lean build described perfectly by his expensive looking suit and his dark hair shone blue where the light hit it.

"Nice t' see ya feelin' yaself again Jake." The man glared at Remy for the comment.

"No thanks to you Rem, that's the last time I **ever** do you a favour." Rogue glanced at them both questioningly. "She one of 'us'?" Jake asked and she sensed Remy nodding his head. "You aren't a shape shifter are you sweetheart?" She shook her head, she had the ability to use at her whim but she hated the person it belonged to so much that she refused to acknowledge it. "Good! Listen, this guy **ever** asks you for a favour you get the hell out of there as fast as you can."

"Didn't see ya complainin' at de time mon ami."

"Remy I still have nightmares about that kiss." Rogue let a rich laughter escape her.

"Let meh get this straight he kissed ya?" The man nodded and she laughed again. "Ah didn't realise ya swung that way swamp rat. Ya sure its meh ya want t' take t' dinner?" Remy glared at the pair as they exchanged beaming smiles.

"Ya know ya cud have mention dat ya were stuck in de form of a woman's body at de time **and** dat I didn't know it was you." Rogue still seemed amused by the image in her head as she suppressed another round of laughter. The man rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Why don't we get you two seated and we can talk more then." The pair glanced to one another and nodded at the suggestion.

They were guided to a private booth in a secluded corner and Remy smiled as he watched Rogue relax with the less crowded space. Jake smiled at them both.

"My apologies for the head waiter, he's just standing in for someone else, unfortunately I didn't get much of a say about it." Remy still didn't look impressed but Rogue smiled and nodded in acceptance of the apology.

"Why don't ya two catch up while ah go t' the little girls room." She stood from the table and Jake kindly pointed her in the direction of the toilets. As soon as she was out of ear shot Jake felt the need to bombard Remy with a volley of questions.

"So who is she? She's a mutant huh? What power's she got? You must really like her to bring her here; you never bring any of your other dates here." Remy held up his hands in surrender and signalled for Jake to keep his excitement to himself.

"Mon ami I swear ya never used t' be such a gossip." Remy stated ignoring the questions he'd been asked.

"I think one of my regular customers is having a bad effect on me. So?" Remy shook his head.

"Ain't my place t' say."

"You always were secretive anyway." Remy glanced around the restaurant and took in its romantic atmosphere. The deco was a delight to behold as rich burgundy fabrics and wallpapering practically melted into mahogany woods.

"So when did ya decide t' buy a restaurant."

"Got sick of playing 'hero'. You still doing that?" Remy nodded. "Well enjoy it before it kills you or turns you into a woman."

"Ya never goin' t' forgive Remy o' dat are ya?"

"I'm never going to let you forget it!" Remy ignored him as a bottle of wine was brought to the table and poured into his glass.

"Mais, jus' so ya know ya not exactly de best kiss dis Cajun ever had." Jake rolled his eyes.

"Let me guess this Rogue girl is." Remy took a sip of his drink and ignored the question. Jake smiled cunningly.

"You've not kissed her yet have you?" Remy glared at him but it only made the smile on Jake's face grow. "Don't tell me you're loosing your touch already. You're only twenty-six."

"Twenty-seven." Remy corrected him as he placed his glass back on the table. Jake laughed.

"You better have a damned good reason for not having already won this one over."

"Ain't dat simple." Remy lifted his gaze as he saw Rogue sifting through the crowded restaurant to get back to the table. Jake followed his gaze briefly but seemed more amused by the expression in Remy's eyes.

"Just don't forget what happened last time you trusted someone; you do still remember Belladonna don't you."

"She ain't like Bella." Jake raised an eyebrow.

"You hope." Remy glared at him and Jake could have sworn that if they weren't in public the Cajun man would have charged his clothes and left him there to explode.

"Everything alright?" Rogue questioned as she arrived back at the booth sensing some tension between the two men.

"Jake jus' be in a mood 'cause Remy said he ain't a good kisser."

"I was a little busy trying to fight you off to think about how I was kissing you." Rogue smiled at the arguing pair as she slid back to Remy's side and received a warm smile from him. Jake glared at Remy as he stood from the booth.

"Now if you'll excuse me I've had enough of these insults. Miss Rogue it was a pleasure to met you, shame I can't say the same for you Rem. I'll just go and sort out a waiter to bring you your menus, have a pleasant evening." With that he disappeared into the sea of dining people.

"Was he really that bad?" Rogue asked as she leant forward for her wine.

"He bit me."

"Are ya sure that wasn't just t' get ya off him?" Remy laughed.

"Pretty sure. But he's de only complaint dis Cajun ever got." He winked suggestively at her and watched with satisfaction as her cheeks flushed. "What about ya Cherie, ya ever had any complaints?" Her eyes instantly lowered to her lap where she stared at her gloved fingers. She looked ashamed of herself and it was all he could feel from her.

"Not exactly." She muttered as she raised her eyes and glanced at him unsurely. "The first boy ah ever kissed ah put into a coma for three years." Remy's eyes widened a little but the action was only followed by a smirk.

"Dats some killer kiss ya got dere maybe later ya be kind enough t' show moi." She seemed surprised by his response.

"It doesn't scare ya that ah might hurt ya?" Remy shook his head.

"Remy had trouble wit his power at first, used t' blow stuff up all de time, got a couple o' scars t' prove it t'. Took a long time for me t' get used t' de empathy too, 'm guessin' it a bit like bin' telepathic but wit feelin's instead o' thoughts." Her jaw dropped slightly at the revelation.

"Empathy? Ya been using that on meh swamp rat?" She seemed angry about the revelation and he remembered how openly she had admitted to hating psychics.

"Tried t' the night we met, thing is I can't seem t' do anythin' but sense ya feelin's" She shut her mouth and bit down on her lip realised how stupid she had been. She regretted her accusation more because she knew that the same that no outside influence that tried to break through her 'outer shell' could, her thoughts and feelings were completely closed off from anyone but herself.

"Remy ah'm sorry ah shouldn't have pointed the finger ah already know that mah power counteracts most outside influences. Ah should have known ya couldn't have played with mah emotions." Remy shrugged.

"Been through a lot ya bound t' worry 'bout things like dat." He flashed her a charming smile to show that there were no hard feelings. "Got dis charm power t' dat I've been tryin' t' use on ya since ya first woke up. Ya de only person I ever met dat it didn't have an effect on. It be drivin' moi crazy knowin' dat ya can just push me away so easily." She smiled sympathetically at him.

"It ain't exactly easy sometimes." She admitted, regretting that she had come here just to prove him wrong. Remy slid closer to her and placed his arm on the back of the seat as he leant towards her. He took her hand in his free one and watched as their fingers laced together.

"It easy now?" He asked as he leant closer. Her eyes seemed to drift to his lips of their own accord and she felt her lips part as his breath glided across her cheek.

"No." She whispered as he brushed his lips over hers and she had to fight the urge to force them together. "I'm not a game." She warned him as his lips lingered teasingly before hers.

"Already know dat Cherie but winnin' de game ain't half as important as winnin' you." She wanted so much to believe those words, to believe she was worth so much and she would have, if something hadn't woken her from her dream-like state.

Her eyes were torn from his at an unbelievable speed as they darted around the room. She tried to reason with her mind, tried to convince herself it had been a trick of the eye but she knew better than to give into such temptations. Better a pessimist than a dead optimist. Worry spread like wildfire in her eyes, taking over her facial expression as she slowly removed her hands from Remy's and leant away from him to better survay the area.

"Cherie?" She could hear his voice but did not have the power to respond. Her body shook with fear as breaths escaped her body. "Cherie, what's wrong?" Remy's voice was getting panicked with each new question he asked. Yet still she could not answer. Then she saw it, clear as day. The one thing she had hoped she had misinterpreted the first time. A shadow cast on the floor, of a human figure. Following the light source up to the beautifully lit section of glass roofing she felt her heart stop dead in her chest. Remy followed her gaze and was about to release the longest string of cursing before Rogue's voice cut in.

"Remy put on your sunglasses!" Quickly he did as instructed and removed the sunglasses he had worn earlier from his pocket.

"We have t' get dese people out!" Remy reasoned his natural protective nature shinning through the charming Cajun exterior.

"We don't have time!" She screamed before raising her arms to shield her face from shattering glass. Before she could even lower her arms she could sense the guns on her and heard the one thing she had hoped never to hear again.

"Mutant 007 is in our sights."

* * *

Go ahead and review!


	6. What I really want

A/N: I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner but it's my final show at college and I'm pretty weighed down with work. Anyway I have managed to find the time to write this for you. 9 whole pages on word! Just hope it was worth the wait for you all. I do believe there may be some swearing in frech in this chapter, just a warning.

* * *

Slowly she lowered her raised hands and stared down the barrel of the gun being held to her head. Her heart stopped dead and refused to beat as she felt all hope drain from her mind. Slowly and shakily she stood from her seat and watched as the panic in her own eyes was matched by the panic in the soldiers. Her mind seemed to drown out the screams of the restaurant's clients and workers as if they had never existed in the first place and she was thankful for the silence in their place.

"Mutant 007 stand down or we **will** shoot! **I repeat stand down**!" She glanced off to the right where she heard the voice and then back. She could feel Remy glaring at the man as he tried desperately to reach for the hand she continually snatched away from his hold all the while refusing to break her eye contact with the soldier.

"What if ah don't" Her voice was amazingly confident and she almost managed to convince herself that she was just that, almost. The barrel of the gun shook as her question sent shivers of fear down the young man's spine.

"Our orders are to apprehend mutant 007, we will shoot." Her jaw tightened and she grabbed the barrel end of the gun and compressed the metal as if it were nothing more than a soft petal in her hand.

"Think de lady just made her decision clear." A smirking Remy informed the soldiers as he stood at her side with a deadly handful of glowing cards. Remy's presence at her side sent a surge of reassurance through her body and suddenly she felt confident that she could take on the whole world, if she needed to. And yet, she wished that he had not felt compelled to play the hero and had instead thought only about saving his own life. Both were aware of the effort Jake was making to remove innocent lives from the building before likely doing the same for himself, every mutant knew what these men meant and no mutant ever wanted that. Especially not Rogue. With no effort at all she swiped the gun from the soldier's hands and flung it into a far wall. Her emeralds shone like cats eyes in the dim lighting as Remy's smirk extended onto her own lips. She walked calmly forwards removing a glove as she did so, the soldier almost paralysed by her sultry stare. At the same time Remy seemed to take to the air sending down volleys of perfectly aimed explosives. Her bare hand travelled the length of the soldiers arm before it reached his bare cheek.

Remy glanced back to check on Rogue despite knowing she could hold her own, as evident from the bullets falling to the floor without invading her body. He watched as her fingertips rested on the young man's cheek, his veins quickly rose to the surface of his skin leading like roots back to her fingertips. The man paled and seemed to be struggling just to inhale air as Rogue kept her brief hold on him. Remy couldn't help but notice how much it was like watching someone's life slowly drain away from their body and suddenly realised why Rogue still insisted on gloves despite having control. As soon as she released him his body fell to the floor in its limp state. Her eyes widened with fear as if hit by a revelation as she glanced around the room, petrified of every dancing shadow.

She didn't want to believe the young mans thoughts anymore than she wanted to accept that they had found her. She didn't want to, but she was forced to as the voices of the soldiers and screams of innocents awaked her from her disbelief.

"The element of surprise is gone!" Yelled the same voice that had addressed her before and in her panic she failed to sense the being coming at her from behind until it was too late.

"Hello pretty." His voice was a gruff purr to her ears and her body stiffened as he embraced her from behind. She bit down on the inside of her mouth to stop herself from screaming as he rubbed his face into her hair and took long sniffs of her sent. "You still smell sweet." He announced as he relished in her sent. She could feel herself beginning to hyperventilate a he stroked a gloved part of his hand down her cheek.

"Get off meh Creed." Her voice escaped her throat in a low growl.

"I always did love that temper of yours." She fought desperately to slow her breathing and shield her fear but with each new time he touched her deep horrors awakened in her mind.

"And ah always hated ya'll." She spat with venom as the exchange of words began to settle her growing fears. She struggled weakly against his strong grip not wanting to give away her real strength. He roared with laughter.

"Ya like a fly caught in a web, ain't no way out."

"Wanna bet on that?" She asked as she swung her heel back, with all the strength she owned, into his groin. It had the desired effect and he crumpled to the floor instantly releasing her as he gripped his crotch. As soon as she was released she soared into the air, afraid that if she touched the floor she would be that fly in the web. A low growl steadily grew into a fully fledged roar as he stumbled back onto his feet.

"You'll pay for that later sweetheart." She mimicked Remy's trademark smirk."Ah don't think so." She laughed with delight as he launched himself at her and she easily glided out of his path, he tried repeatedly, each time his actions only made her laughter grow. "Really sugah ya'll think ya can seriously take on the Rogue?"

"I'll wring your neck when we get you back in your cage." She slammed her fist down onto the side of his face and he was flung to the floor with the force.

"Ah'd like t' see ya'll get meh back there first." She told him as she struck him again as he tried to stand, the force slamming him into a far wall. "Why kitty sugah ah do believe ya loosin' ya touch." He smirked as he stood and swiped the blood from his mouth as his jaw reset itself; the action sickened her more than the noise of his grinding bones as they clicked back into place.

"Same could be said for your partner, sweetheart." She instantly spun to follow his gaze and her heart stopped at what she saw. Remy was pinned against a wall, two small children held in his arms as all the armed soldiers, that had earlier swarmed the room, made sure he would not cause any more trouble by aiming straight for his head.

* * *

Remy had been doing fine and he was positive that Rogue was much the same as he heard her rich laughter as she taunted a familiar looking large man. He'd already taken out about half of the small army of soldiers without much effort and he was, for the first time in his life, grateful for Logan's over the top danger room sessions. It wasn't until the small squeal of a child at the sound gunfire caught his attention that things began to go down hill. He caught a glimmer of the girl and her tiny brother huddled together under one of the tables and found her resemblance to a small girl from his past uncanny. Flashes of sewer passages flickered in his mind and his head was soon filled with the sounds of screams and feet running through shin deep sewage. He quickly took out another soldier with an elbow to the face upon contact he heard the snap of the weak bone in the man's nose. Grimacing, he quickly compelled himself to lock away the thoughts that consumed his mind and concentration as a swinging gun almost connected with his face. He managed to temporarily stun the two other soldiers between him and the children before he crouched on the floor to speak with them.

"Remy ain't gonna hurt ya petite. Ya brother ok?" The little girl looked at him sceptically but he did seem less scary than the ones with guns, slowly she nodded her head and revealed her smaller brother crying in her arms. Remy sent back a series of explosive cards that kept the soldiers at bay while he spoke with the children.

"Can ya move?" The girl shook her head and revealed a large gash in her petite leg. Remy smiled and began using his empathy of the pair to calm them. "What's ya name petite?"

"Charlotte, my brother's name is Oliver."

"My name's Remy. How old are ya Charlotte?"

"Five." She told him proudly seeming to have completely forgotten the fighting around them and Remy smiled, grateful that his empathy was working on them.

"I'm th-three and a half." The boy told him as he finally sniffed away the tears and found his voice. "Momma? Daddy?" The boy asked his sniffing beginning again as panic spread through his small body.

"Don' worry Remy help ya get t' dem." Remy reassured them as he balanced a child in either arm still unsure of exactly how to get them out of the building safely. A flustered Jake caught his attention as he rushed back into the wreck of a building.

"**Remy, oh thank god you found them**!" Jake shouted over the noises of the battle as Remy awkwardly threw back more cards to try and keep the soldiers at bay long enough for him to get the children to Jake. He began to run along the wall furthest from the battle until he heard the unmistakable click of a loaded weapon and stopped dead in his tracks.

"One move mutie and we'll take out you and the kids!"

* * *

"See useless." Creed purred into her ear again and she turned to strike him but he caught her arm and slashed his extended claws across her cheek. She bit back the familiar feeling of pain as the adamantium grinded through her skin like a knife trying to slice through rock. Keeping his hold on her fist his twisted her around so that her back was pressed against his body once more. One arm was hooked around her neck with his four claws lingering over her neck like hungry vultures waiting for the last breath of life to escape their victim. The other held her body tightly against his so that a repeat of her earlier actions could not be made.

"Let them go!" She demanded as he forced her to look straight at Remy.

"Come back with us and I'll leave him intact, for the time being." She looked to Remy with teary eyes as she considered the offer. Remy caught her eyes staring at him from behind the crowd of soldiers; he even caught the tears falling down her cheeks as she hung her head in defeat.

"**Non! Don' do it cherie!**"

"Let the children go first t' prove ya tellin' the truth." She knew her words would anger him but right now he didn't have a choice if he wanted to avoid another fight with her. She knew he craved the blood of innocents like an alcoholic craves their next drink, she knew saying yes would upset him but that was an anger she would be forced to deal with later. A low growl escaped his lips but he gave into her demands.

"Let the kids go LeBeau. Nobody shoot!" He spoke in a growl to signify his displeasure at the idea but both Remy and Rogue sighed with relief as Jake scooped the children into his arms and ran from the building before anymore harm could come.

"So are ya comin' with us pretty?" She hung her head, she wasn't sure she could even look Remy in the eye anymore that was until the sting of blades slicing through her neck forced her to look back. "Why don't ya scream for me pretty?"

"No." She growled as she unwillingly stared into Remy's eyes.

"So ya comin' with us then?"

"**Non, Rogue jus' say no! I ain't worth dis!**" Remy stepped forwards as he spoke and as promised a bullet was fired at him. Catching his right shoulder the force pushed him back against the wall, he grunted at the pain as he stubbornly tried to remain on his feet.

"**No!**" Rogue screamed as she sent her head back into Creed's face with all the force her body owned. He dropped to the floor with her still in his hold but she ignored that as she lunged forwards to the soldiers, his arms could be heard as they were torn from their sockets and his grip finally loosened enough for her to break free. She easily took out the small few that noticed her approach without so much as breaking a sweat. "Ya'll better hope that Cajun ain't about t' die on meh!" she informed as some twenty faces turned to see her.

"Mutant 007 is on the move and dangerous!" A voice alerted the soldiers unfit to fight against her to continue guarding Remy while the others and a recovered Creed turned their focus to her.

"Let's play a game. Its called catch the Rogue!" As she spoke she let free a rich laughter before her whole body set itself alight with blinding flames.

Rogue had been trained in many fighting styles and absorbed even more but she was only one thing at heart, a scrapper, she hit her enemies till they stayed down and that was the way she liked it. And she hit them hard, bombarding them with collected powers or her fists until they could not get back up. The soldiers were easy to take out, especially since their bullets could do no more than lightly graze her skin. However, one remaining annoyance seemed to be set against just rolling over and admitting defeat, Creed.

She hit him again. The sounds his bones made as they were snapped like twigs beneath her pounding fists and then as they grinded together as his healing factor pulled them back into position no longer seemed to irritate her deep-rooted memories of broken bones and scarred skin.

"Doesn't matter how hard you keep hittin' me sweetheart, I'll just keep on getting back up again."

"Let's test that theory then." She sent a fist to his face then the other, a round house kick and upper cut sent him flying into the air where she flew up and caught him only to throw him back to the ground. She heard his body grinding back into place from his injuries as he got back up again. Her eyes narrowed.

"My turn." He growled as he sprinted towards her. Drifting backwards she avoided the fist to her side but his upper cut made contact with her jaw and she was flipped over and to the floor near the bleeding Remy.

"Bonjour Cherie ya havin' fun?" She shook her head to regain her thoughts and he spoke with a smile but she glanced to his gun shot wound with worried and doubtful eyes. Even though the soldiers were little of a problem for him even in his current state she still worried and despite her worry she smiled back before flying straight for Creed's gut, forcing them both through the wall and into the kitchens.

"Come on sweetheart you can hit me harder than that." She smiled at the invitation.

"Ya right ah can." She let herself drop to the floor as it no longer seemed to hold the danger it had before. She sent a fist for his face but he dodged it and her hand fell into the flames of the gas hobs. She let out a scream of pain but then held up her hand in front of her face and laughed as the smirk on Creed's faltered. Through the burning and singed material of her glove he could see her skin, perfect and flawless, lacking the burns that should have been developing. Grabbing the two large pans of boiling water on the hob she threw them straight at him. The water spilled everywhere, covering his face, his body, even his eyes. She struck him with her fists until he was backed up against one of the sideboards. Another well placed roundhouse sent him flying back into the dinning area, the kitchen almost completely demolished. She flew out after him grabbing his face as she flew and forcing it down into the ground and she flipped over him and landed on the last armed soldier, forcing his body to the floor. Creed struggled up from the floor, staggering as his body tried to heal the extreme amount of damage it had obtained in such a short period of time. He growled as he saw a blurred Rogue tried to help Remy up to make a quick escape.

"Come on we have t' leave now!" she shouted at Remy as he slowly returned to his feet. He gripped onto her upper arms to support his weight, his body already weak from the loss of blood. Remy's eyes widened as he glance in the direction of Creed's growl and saw him charging for them. Rogue followed Remy's stare but it was too late for her to do anything as Remy forced them to switch.

Rogue inhaled sharply as the tips of his claws penetrated the skin of her stomach. When she opened her eyes again she came face to face with the weak smile of Remy's lips. Her eyes widened and she glanced down at as she pulled her body off the claws and stared at them, realising they had passed right through his body. Creed grinned over Remy's shoulderas he withdrew his claws andRemy dropped right into Rogue's arms.

"Remy? Remy, oh god, no. No!" Her voice was barely about a whisper, she was so afraid he was lost.

"How 'bout one last request." He almost chocked on his words, blood seeping from both sides of the wound.

"No, no last request cause ya ain't dyin' on meh!" she told him in a stern voice all the time shaking her head in disbelief.

"I think he is sweetheart." Her eyes snapped up to glare at Creed. Continuing her glare she knelt to the ground where she could rest Remy against the rubble.

"Please Rogue I ain't long for dis world, I'm sure." She bit back the tears his words beckoned. She leant closer to him, her head resting on his chest as she bit down on her crimson lip. "Jus' one kiss, eh?" She glanced up to the grinning Creed and soon all her sorrows were long forgotten. Turning back to Remy she lent closer to him again her lips brushing over his.

"You promise not t' die on meh?" she whispered as her lips lingered dangerously close.

"Can't promise dat." He muttered, almost crossing the boarder into the realm of sleep.

"But ah can make ya." Lightly she pressed their lips together. Remy could feel a pull as if his very spirit was being ripped from his body and yet at the same time he was given a new lease of energy. Rogue concentrated as hard as she could on maintaining both powers for the extent of the short kiss. Her own power draining away at his life force while the other, taken from a small boy referred to as Elixir, was steadily providing the life line she was depending on to keep Remy alive for as long as possible. Pulling away she could see the smile on Remy's lips as he settled into the rubble on the ground.

"Just hold on for meh sugar, ah'm coming back for you."

"Merde, wit a kiss like dat ya better be." He informed her with a strained voice as his body battled against the pain and injuries that plagued it.

She stood over Remy's body and glared intently at Creed. He smirked back enjoying the thought of the man dieing on the floor before them.

"Alright Creed, ya wanna play then lets play!"

"That's more like it!" they both leapt for the other, Creed's timing was misplaced and Rogue's hand connected with his face to force it against the ground with all the force of her movement. She flipped back, putting some distance between them. When he stood from the ground his face still trying to correct itself she went for him again. He easily dodged her rash movement and her fist made contact with the floor. There was an explosion of dust and she staggered away from the crater in the stone flooring. Creed's smirk faltered at the sight of her extensive strength. He growled in annoyance at her persistence as she charged again. She easily dodged to the side then she turned and placed a fist with three threatening claws pointed up at Creed's bottom jaw. She wrapped her free arm around his torso, trapping his arms to it.

"Lets take this outside." She whispered with a smirk as they soured upwards at such a speed that Creed could not force the air from his lungs no matter how hard he tried. Rogue ignored the cloud line as they passed it and continued to ignore the lack of light as she took them ever higher and higher.

"Hold ya breathe Kitty, ain't no air up here for ya to choke on." She informed him as she twirled him around to face her, his face and lips already turning blue from the lack of oxygen. He swung for her but in his oxygen-less state he hadn't a hope of making contact. "Know what ah leant kitty?" He shook his head at the question. "There's only two ways t' kill ya, ah could drown ya or suffocate ya'll, guess which one ah went for?" She smirked again as he swung and missed. His healing factor was battling to keep him alive and it was showing. His skin turned from blue to fleshy tones as it fought a loosing battle. She smirked at his pain. "But ah ain't about t' take any chances so ah thought if ah brought ya'll up here ya wouldn't even but able to collect ya scattered body parts." She raised her feet to his chest as she gripped his collar. "Don' forget t' send a postcard, mon ami." She smirked as his eyes widened in realisation. She kicked him away from her allowing her body to flip back with the force as his was pushed out into orbit, only the pink hue of his suit an indication of his whereabouts. She shielded her eyes as there was a burning light of the explosion which pushed her back down into the atmosphere.

Once there she took a deep breathe of air before her eyes sprung open and she recalled her promise to return. She forced her body to drop from the skies faster than a bullet leaving the barrel of a gun.She shot back to the destroyed restaurant as fast as he body and the laws of physics would allow.

Lading gracefully on the floor from her speedy decent she rushed to Remy's side. She knelt byhim as he lay there slumped up against the wall. She fought back the tears as she checked over his wounds and let an unsteady sigh escape her body. Tenderly she swept some of his long hair from his eyes and smiled sorrowfully. At the action his eyes battered open and she had to hold herself back from wrapping her arms around his frail body in a tight embrace.

"Is Remy dead?"

"What ya'll askin' a silly question like that for Cajun?"

"Cause Cherie he be starin' at une ange." She sighed as she glanced worriedly at him and then around the restaurant.

"That's enough of that talk, come on we've done enough damage here we should get ya t' Hank." Remy held up an arm weakly in protest.

"Non, let me go, let me die a hero, eh?" Her mouth widened with sock at his request.

"Remy you are not dying here!" She told him sternly as she went to reach for him again but he held up his arms in refusal. "Ah don't believe it! Ah would have gone back there jus' t' save ya sorry excuse o' a life, that would have been being a hero! I could have just curled up an' let myself die from those injuries they inflicted on meh all those years ago but ah didn't because ah knew it was the cowards way out! Ah ain't about t' let ya make that mistake!" Her voice was filled with anger but she wasn't angry at him just scared. And not just scared she was petrified beyond belief, she'd never feared for anything the way she feared for him right now.

"Remy's done some bad things Cherie, things dat he ain't gonna be forgiven, dis is my time."

"Don't talk stupid Rem, and the lady has a point." Jake walked calmly to their side.

"Ya don' know what ya sayin' Jake." Remy argued. Rogue growled in frustration, sounding so much like Logan, the sound was followed by a set of bone claws shot out from her hands before quickly retracting again, the wounds they left only adding to her blood loss.

"Remy ah swear if ya'll don't snap outta it ah'm gonna pick ya up and fly ya back whether ya like it or not!" She yelled as she stood up and signalled for Jake to help her get Remy to his feet.

"Non, leave me dis is how I wanna go." Jake's attitude towards the dying mutant was beginning to turn just as Rogue's had. As fear was shielded by anger.

"So you did some stupid stuff, so did Rogue, right?" Rogue nodded her head. "Neither of you did it because you enjoyed it, you did it because you knew you'd be killed if you didn't."

"Dat sounds like de cowards way." Remy mumbled as Jake guided him onto Rogue's shoulder. Jake shook his head.

"Not really Rem, you remember the little girl you managed to save don't you? Just think if it hadn't have been you doing all that stuff it could have been another Creed. You really think someone like that would have saved that little girl?" Remy was weak and it showed but he still managed to whip his head around to glare at Jake. "You're not as evil as you seem to think you are Rem, because if you were your past wouldn't eat you up the way it does." Rogue felt Remy's weight shift as his legs grew weaker and she quickly gathered him up in her arms.

"Sugah me an' Jake, we'd love t' argue wit ya about this all night but ya ain't strong enough. Please. Ya let meh help ya'll an' ah promise ya the three o' us can argue about this till the end o' time." She was answered only by a small nod of his head as he stubbornly fought away his desire for sleep. "Jake ah . . ." Jake just nodded with a small smile.

"Get going before he gets what he wants. Oh and Rogue don't forget to tell him, when he wakes up, that I'll be askin' his dear 'père' to cover the damages." She nodded as she hovered in the air. She exited through the building's shattered roof and flew as fast as she dared back in the direction of the mansion.

* * *

"Betsy that film was marvellous, let me go and grab some more popcorn."

"Alright Hank, I'll go fetch another fil- oh my god! **Hank get over here now**!"

Rogue kept her form hunched as she staggered forwards, Remy's body hanging limply from her arms. She looked up as Betsy rushed to her side, her face still streaked with her silent tears and bloody stains. As she saw the blue furry man she had befriended no more than two or three days ago she slumped to the floor.

"Please Hank, help meh." She whispered as Betsy put her arms on her shoulders and tried to lift her from the floor. "No! Take Remy!" Betsy glanced at the man in her arms, blood practically pouring from his stomach. Then she looked at Rogue as if she had lost her mind. Rogue was well aware of the cuts and scrapes across her body that bled freely, wounds that would threaten to take any normal person's life. Hank, unlike Betsy understood and followed her every command, removing the Cajun man from her arms and instantly rushing him to the infirmary.

"Come on luv lets see to you too." Betsy tried again to raise Rogue from the floor but her hands were hit away and an angry Rogue glared at her.

"Fetch Logan." She practically growled as she fought the physical exhaustion her body was suffering and raised her body to its feet.

"Rogue don't be silly you're not well." Rogue kept her back to the British woman as she followed after the blue beast and her knight in shining armour. She repeated her words with more anger and force than the first time.

"Fetch Logan."

* * *

Hank rushed around the infirmary as if his head was going to explode if he didn't move as fast as he possiblycould. Rogue just stood silently in the doorway looking sullenly at the floor, not daring to take in the full extent of Remy's injuries. She ignored Hank as he questioned her about the night's events and just stared remorsefully at the floor, watching each tear as it shattered into millions of droplets against the hard surface. It was a strained cough from Remy that woke her and rushed her body to his side.

"R-ro-g-ue." She glanced up at Hank who's pace had slowed as he set about stabilising his patient by hooking him to various machines and regulating the fluids flowing into his body. He nodded and for a moment she looked as if she were lost in space, she quickly collected her thoughts and banished the tears. Remy opened his mouth to try and speak again but his lips were met with the singed and torn material of her glove.

"No jokes, ya have to rest." Rogue told him sternly, secretlyafraid of a repeat of their conversation in the restaurant. She removed her fingertips from his lips when she was positive he would obey her orders and dropped her hand to the bed beside his. She felt his fingers twitch under hers and twirled her fingers around his as reassurance.

"If I may?" Hank's voice tore her eyes from Remy's weary ones. "Exactly what happened this evening?" Rogue glanced down into Remy's eyes again and smiled as she watched him trying to do the same back while fighting his body's exhaustion.

"We were attacked, they were after meh but somebody here just had t' play hero." She shook her head as a tired Remy smiled charmingly at them both, his eye lids battering rapidly as he fought the need for sleep. Rogue smiled down at him and tenderly brushed some hair from his face. "He will be alright won't he?"

"He's stable, that's something at least. You did a good job getting him back here so quickly." She looked away from Remy and smiled weakly.

"Ah was flying that fast ah couldn't tell whose blood was whose anymore, ah'm just glad ah didn't hurt him more by flyin' back." Hank glanced worriedly at the extensive amount of bleeding tissue on her body.

"You should let me take a look at that." Hank told her but she shook her head her exhaustion already beginning to fade to nothing.

"Mah body can take care o' its self just fine, ya should worry about him." Rogue smiled with relief as Remy finally stopped being so stubborn and allowed himself to slip into a much needed slumber.

"Darlin'? You alright?"

"Ah'm fine." Logan looked at her doubtfully as he reached her side.

"You smell like blood, you're covered in it too."

"Ah'm fine." As she spoke the skin of a slice across the side of her neck began to stitch itself back together. Logan watched the scene before him unfold.

"That power looks familiar." He mused before turning his attention to the sleeping and battered Cajun. "He isn't going to be happy about what this will do to his looks."

"Fortunately there will be no permanent or long lasting damage to his appearance." Hank informed them. "I won't know about his internal organs until he is stable enough for me to do a fully body scan." Rogue squeezed Remy's hand in hers before finally releasing it. As she watched the sleeping Cajun she felt the guilt in her heart begin to tighten its grip.

"They found meh Logan, and ah should have known better."

"I assumed. I can still smell traces of Creed on ya." Her jaw tightened at the name and she stared protectively at the sleeping man.

" Ah sorted him out, for a while at least. Ah wanted t' ask for ya help t' bring the whole thing down." Logan nodded, he often thought about trying to do so himself but he knew it would only inevitably lead back to his capture.

"That don't sound like a good idea, you know that." He spoke in a warning tone and she looked disapointed but agreeed none the less. "Let me make a few phonecalls about it, I've someone who owes me big time that might be able to help." Rogue nodded her head before looking sorrowfully at the sleeping Cajun again. "Look kid I'm sorry I wasn't there, agai-" Rogue clenched her fists tightly.

"Don't!" She swiftly cut in.

"Don't what? Apologise for failing to help a friend." Rogue calmed herself and glanced to him with emotionless eyes.

"Don't apologise it isn't your fault, just like Creed wasn't."

"Darlin' I don't get it I let you down back then but you don't care? You won't even hold a grudge?" She sighed and moved to the armchair by the bed.

"Don't ya get it Logan? The voices in mah head, they feed off that crap! Ah want t' be angry, ah want t' inflict on ya'll what ya failed t' stop happenin' t' meh but the more ah desire that the more fuel it gives the voices. The easier it gets for them to turn on meh. Its hard enough t' stay in control of mah own body as it is, don't make it harder by askin' meh t' hate ya'll." She sighed as she reached for Remy's hand again and spoke openly and softly as if Hank and Logan were not there. "He makes it all go away. Ah don't have a clue how he does it but jus' bein' near him makes all the noise stop. When he's there its easier t' remember who ah really am, easier t' know what ah really want. And ah **want** for him t' be alright!"

* * *

Please leave a review. I do accept anonymous reviews.


	7. Lady Luck's fighting on my side

A/N: It's my birthday! I must be really sad if I'm doing this on my birthday. 19! 19 I'm getting old! Oh well I am pretty much home alone and feeling a bit bored so I guess it's not that sad. Anyway that's enough about me, read, enjoy and review!

* * *

Rogue shoved the heal of her palm against her forehead trying to banish the noise going off inside her head. Memories had surfaced that even her knight in shinning armour dared not chase away.

"If you have a headache I can offer you some painkillers for it." Rogue smiled weakly at the beast's offer.

"Trust meh, painkillers ain't gonna stop this." Hank shrugged as he glanced over the beeping equipment hooked up to Remy. Rogue glanced to his paled features. "How is he?"

"Surprisingly he's made quite a lot of progress over the night." She smiled weakly as she tended to a few stray stands of his auburn hair. "What about you?"

"All better." She rubbed her hand over the skin of her torso where Creed's claws had penetrated. She bit hard on her bottom lip as a wave of intense grief hit her, knowing that Remy had not bounced back as easily as herself. She pushed her palm into her forehead again and banished the emotion.

"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" Hank looked at her with worry but she smiled and shook her head.

"No ah'll be fine, ya'll just look after him." She nodded to Remy as she stood from the seat and rubbed some of her knotted muscles; it hadn't been the most pleasant nights sleep, curled up in a plastic arm chair.

She walked over to the desk at which Hank was seated; he studied the screen with a furrowed brow. "Hank, ca ah . . . ask ya a question?" Her voice was lowered to a hushed whisper and while she knew Remy was deep in slumber she did not want the discussion to reach his ears. Hank made a humming noise as he tore his eyes from the screen.

"I am here to help." Rogue nodded and then looked ashamed as she stared at the floor. The words seemed to refuse to leave her mouth.

"Would . . . if . . ." She paused and tightened her jaw before glancing into Hank's baby blue eyes, "If he'd asked you to let him die would you have done it?" Hank's eyes widened at the question. Quickly his expression returned to its normal thoughtful frown.

"I take it we are referring to Mr. LeBeau." Rogue nodded a quick movement through which none of her emotions could be read. "I also take it that he said something to you last night." Another nod. For a moment he looked more thoughtful than normal. "No. Remy and I are friends, I know he has experienced much pain in his life and though he has never told me much about his past I am aware that even now he is still trying to run from it. Perhaps he believes a hero's death will save him from his past."

"Maybe." She muttered as she glanced back at Remy. He stirred in and out of a deep sleep as quickly as his chest rose and fell with each breathe. "Look after him for meh, ah'll be back in a few hours." She informed Hank as she walked to the exit.

"No strenuous exercise, you're probably still a little tender." She waved her hand in dismissal of the warning and left the room without daring to look back for fear of breaking what little was left of her heart.

* * *

Rogue stepped out of the on suite bathroom and quickly moved to the bed where she changed into a pair of grey denim jeans and a loose jumper that she had put out to wear. She glanced at the attire and wondered if Betsy actually owned a normal coloured pair of jeans or if they were all made of greys, blacks and dark blues. The cream jumper did as most of the ones she had been given did and left one shoulder bare as it slide down her arm. She pulled on the black gloves that Remy had given her the day before and shoved the memory of the smile on his face from her mind, ashamed that she had been the reason she no longer got to see that smile. She sighed heavily at her actions and walked to the dresser. As she reached for the brush sat on top the polished mahogany surface she hesitated. She didn't want to see her reflection. Because she knew when she saw it she would not see what had caused Remy to risk his life saving her. No matter how hard or long she looked. Her head dropped and she took the brush, not once glancing to the mirror. She walked over to the bed again and seated herself on the edge as she began to idly brush her hair. Memories plagued her mind and she stared at nothing while she started the laborious task of sorting through the new memories and locking them in the most suited part of her mind. Her body shuddered as a reaction to some of the memories and the brush dropped from her hand as a voice whispered in her ear, the air tickling her bare skin as if the person was stood right behind her.

"I own you now." She exhaled the breath she was unaware she had been holding in as she jumped at every dancing shadow of the room.

"Ya bein' silly petite, jumpin' at every shadow." Her eyes widened as she realised the Cajun accent had come from her lips. Forgetting her earlier refusal to see her reflection she rushed to the mirror and stared wide eyed as the white of her eyes filled with deep, never ending black while red washed away from the emerald of her own eyes. Eventually she was left staring at a pair of emeralds shining out through the darkness of the night's sky. She shook her head trying to force them to return to normal as she locked away the last few memories. She glanced back but still they had not vanished.

Her eyes widened in panic and she ran to the door, ignoring the closed object as she ran through it and straight into the hallway. Wood splintered around her form like a shower of rain.

"He's dead, he's dead, he's dead." She whispered over and over as she forced her body harder as she ran down the various levels of the mansion. As she reached the bottom of the grand stair way that took her to the entrance of the mansion she ran straight into a running Logan, the force of their combined speeds forcing them both to the floor. Logan growled as he picked himself up off the floor, but she was already up on her feet running towards the entrance to the basement levels of the mansion. Logan chassed after her.

"I've been looking for you." Logan panted as he tried to keep pace with her.

"What's wrong?" She asked with panic as they ran down yet another set of stairs, she glanced to him and his eyes widened at the sight of hers.

"Your eyes . . . "Logan mumbled as he slipped behind a little at the sight. He quickly forced himself to catch up as she neared the next set of stairs.

"Something's wrong with Remy but with how fast ya running ya probably already know." She grunted at she hit the bottom of the stair way after leaping from the top. "Woah." Logan whispered as she set off again and left him attempting to catch up.

* * *

Rogue crashed through the infirmary doors and was greeted with a collection of faces she did and didn't recognise. Betsy, the red head from the day before and a bald man were all settled around the top of the bed, each with strained looks of concentration and their hands raised to their temples. The chocolate skinned woman with snowy white hair glared at her as the noise of the door swinging off its hinges alerted her to Rogue's presence. A small teenage girl followed the other woman's lead and glared at her as she blew out a pink bubble of gum. Hank was fussing over the tubes that had been pulled from Remy's body as the man with ruby glasses and Warren held Remy back from leaping from the end of the bed. Remy was reaching for the doorway, fighting desperately to force his body through the two men's hold. Rogue was cautious as she approached, unsure if her presence would be tolerated by both the people in the room and the patient in the bed. She walked up to Warren and rested a gloved had on his lower arm as she gently removed him from Remy's side. The man with Ruby glasses too removed his hands from Remy as Rogue took Remy's upper arms, careful not to get too close to his gun shot wound.

"Remy?" She whispered as she easily held him firmly in place. His eyes seemed different, unfocused, almost glazed over. She glanced behind her to the broken door where she could find nothing that would terrify Remy to such an extent. He let out a cry, it sounded like he was in pain and he probably was but she knew better. She could sense the psychic probes Betsy and the others were using to intrude into Remy's mind. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw tightened.

"Leave me alone, why can't you just leave me alone?" Remy asked his voice fading to a whisper as he shook his head and tried to back up to the top of the bed. Rogue held him in place as gently as she could, already aware she didn't need to glance behind her to know that there was nothing there. She already knew what was wrong, her powers had pulled locked away memories to the surface of his mind and he was battling to put them back, while some played like a video in his mind. She had experience this so many times herself it was like a second nature but her mutation meant that her mind was designed to cope with such events, compartments within which to hide the collected memories. And as far as she was aware, aside from his powerful mental shields, Remy's mind was just like any other, vulnerable to memories that the owner desired to remain hidden.

She brushed back his hair from his eyes as he continued to fight against her strong hold. She loosened her hands from his arms and cupped them around his cheeks. She lent in and rested her forehead against his. At first he tried to back away from her but then he reached up and placed his hands on her cheeks, one slipping into her hair where he clung desperately to it.

"Remy its meh, its Rogue. Let meh help." His body shook as he fought the memories plaguing his mind. "Shhh ah'm here its ok."

"Make them get out, get them out." He whispered as his brow dipped into a deep frown. She could feel him battling the intrusion into his mind and glanced back to see the three psychics still probing deeper into his mind. She smiled softly as she looked back to Remy, their foreheads still touching.

"Ok, ah'll make it stop." She kept his cheeks cupped in her hands as she glanced up from their embrace and Remy dropped his hold, one of his hands finding its way to hers. "Ah may not be a telepath but ah know there's one thing no telepath likes an' that's crowds. Well, ah've got the worlds noisiest crowd stuffed away in mah mind, **an' ya welcome t' it**." As she spoke the female telepaths staggered back and gripped their heads in pain. The man in the wheelchair was still fighting to keep a hold on Remy's mind as the projected psyches in Rogue's mind went into overdrive. Each one screamed louder than it ever had before as Rogue pushed them all to the front of her mind, the battle for control would be hard. But as far as she was concerned the man in her arms had asked it and she wouldn't fail him. Thousands of screaming voices threatened to take over and soon even the bald man had to withdraw his telepathic hold as the voices consumed his concentration. Quickly the majority of the voices disappeared into nothing as they were trapped back in their prisons. Only the strongest minds still battled with her, reminding her why she never let them out before now. She was breathing heavily from the strain as she returned back to Remy. "Probin' into a shut off mind won't help him." Rogue warned through laboured breaths. The bald man spoke for the first time.

"Young lady I don't believe you quite understand."

"You should listen to her chuck; she's smarter than she looks." Logan backed up Rogue as she kept her attention focused on the man with her. He lifted himself from the wall where he had been observing. "He's focusing on her, not the images in his head, you lot couldn't even manage that. She's had a lot of experience with memories, far more than any telepath. She knows what she's doing."

"Remy is my responsibility I should be-" Storm cut in and stopped the professor.

"Logan is right. She is helping his state and I will not ignore this. I will not see him struggle and hurt himself more by fighting these memories **and** your intrusion."

"They're right, his stats are returning to normal." Hank informed as everyone glanced to the southern couple intertwined in each others hold. Storm glanced to them with doubt but fought to remove negative thoughts of the southern woman, after all Logan trusted her.

"I advise that we try not to crowd them too much. I'm sure there will be ample time for us to visit later." Storm led the way for most of the others to follow. Logan hovered at the doorway as he glanced back to see Betsy and Jean reasoning with the professor.

"Pretty sure 'Ro meant you too chuck. Rogue can take care of things for now and 'Ro's right, there'll be time to check up on him later." The man looked thoughtful before nodding his head and allowing Jean to push him out of the infirmary.

"Unusual name Rouge." The professor began speaking with Logan as they left the infirmary and the entangled couple.

* * *

"Mmm." The moan escaped Rogue's lips as she stirred and sleepily woke herself from the peaceful slumber inflicted by her earlier actions.

"Remy been wonderin' when ya gonna wake up." A Cajun voice greeted her as she lifted her head from the beds edge and sat up in the plastic chair. His hand fell from playing with her twin coloured curls. Her eyelids battered as she woke herself and she smiled softly.

"Ah've been wonderin' the same about ya'll t'." She mumbled as she leant back and stretched out her arms. "How ya feelin' sugah?"

"Been better." He admitted as he stared down at his bandaged stomach. Rogue stood from the chair to give her muscles a chance to stretch as she stood at the bed side and smiled tenderly. Her eyes drifted to Remy's bare chest, his toned muscles flexing as he fought the surge of pain than came with pushing himself into a seated position. Instantly she reached out and helped him shift his body weight, still mesmerized by his bare flesh. She realised she was beginning to stare and tore her eyes from the sight. "Thanks, for earlier." Rogue nodded. "An' for not listenin' last night." He almost whispered. Rogue gave a small smile in response.

" . . ." She glanced away and rubbed the back of her neck.

"It upset ya, non?" Remy asked as he lent over and took the hand she was resting on the bed's rail. She looked into Remy's eyes as she looked back, still remaining silent. Remy leant closer as he stared into her eyes. "Ya eyes . . ." He whispered as he reached for her cheek and she pulled away.

"Don't." she whispered as she tightly shut her eyes and removed them from his line of sight.

"Non, Cherie come here. Let me see dem." She shook her head and stared at the floor as her eyes began to water.

"No." She whispered as she continued to refuse to meet his gaze. She didn't want him to know that she was the reason he had been forced to relive his most haunting memories. That she only seemed to be making his life ever more unbearable. "Ah'm sorry." She whispered as she took her hand from his.

"Sorry for what? I don' understand, Rogue what's wrong?"

"Gal used her powers on ya." Logan spoke and Remy glanced at her questioningly. "Ain't no reason to hate her though." Logan warned as he neared the pair with Ororo. Rogue fought with her internal emotions and for the first time since meeting her Ororo felt guilty of her untrusting attitude towards the younger woman. She could see it now, how this girl felt for Remy and how she beat herself up from the inside out for both getting him hurt and using her mutation on yet another person she had not wished to. Rogue glanced back to Remy tears falling from the shinning emeralds in deep pools of black.

"Ah'm so sorry." She whispered before fleeing from the room. Remy sat silently, still in shock of her eyes, finally beginning to understand the full impact his own had on people.

"I shall go after her." Ororo informed the men as she turned to leave.

"She used her powers on me." Remy's voice sounded bitter and Ororo closed her eyes praying that he would not begrudge the girl for her actions. She turned back as she neared the door, gripping the broken frame.

"We all do things we regret. Remy, do not forget how you really feel, rash decisions will only hurt the situation more." With those warning words she left the pair alone.

"I don' wanna talk t' ya Logan, go away." Remy glared at him but Logan refused to so much as budge an inch let alone exit the room.

"You angry with her?" Remy's glare deepened.

"What kinda question is dat?" He asked as he reached for a pack of cards and began to arrange them before him in a game of solitaire.

"Pretending to ignore me won't work." Logan warned in a low growl but Remy continued to concentrate of the playing cards. "You angry with her?" He asked again with more force than the last time.

"What is it dey say, 'ask a stupid question . . ." Remy raised an eyebrow to imply that Logan already knew the rest of the saying.

"Get a stupid answer." Logan mumbled. "Just a shame I ain't askin' a stupid question then."

"Think de answer t' ya question is pretty obvious." Remy muttered as he continued with his card game. Logan raised an eyebrow.

"Ya think? Cause I don't, ya care for her I can smell it on ya and she cares for ya too. I don't think it's as simple as just shutting her out do you?"

"She don' belong here." Logan snorted a laugh knowing that Remy wanted her to stay more than even himself.

"Then it's a shame chuck wants to offer her a home here. If she doesn't stay with us where can she go, huh? Back to Weapon X, is that what ya want?"

"Non." Remy spoke like a child that had just been told off and that was how he felt with Logan speaking down to him.

"Gal's touched me a few times before, starts off like a small electric shock and then builds and builds. The longer she holds on the closer it feels like you're getting to death. 'Course most of the time she was forced to 'absorb' me to save herself from death." Remy glanced up from his game for the first time without glaring at the man in his presence. Logan smirked. "You barely felt it." He snorted a laugh. "So she actually didn't want to hurt you."

"I was dying she probably jus' felt sorry for me." Logan looked doubtfully at the younger man.

"I ain't gonna waste my time tryin' to talk ya round. No matter how much I think I should, for Rogue's sake. Do what ya want but if I ever catch ya causin' the girl grief again I ain't gonna be so nice about it, especially when all she was doin' was savin' ya sorry ass. Got it?" Remy ignored the man's question as he felt his glare resting firmly on him.

"Whatever." He finally mumbled as Logan stormed out of the room. He shook his head free of Logan's words and returned to his game. His hand hesitated over the next card, the Queen of Hearts.

* * *

"Child are you alright?" Ororo yelled as she chased after Rogue as she threw open the mansion's doors. She followed her out and called a strong wind to carry her to the flying girl. She quickly caught up with the hovering woman as she hugged herself tightly. "Are you alright?" she asked again as she reached for her.

"Don't touch meh." The younger woman warned as she drifted away from Ororo's outstretched hand. She stared at the bright green orbs staring out at her through the darkness of both Rogue's eyes and the night's sky. Slowly she withdrew her hand and glanced at the young woman.

"You shouldn't blame yourself." She informed the young woman

"Then who should ah blame?" She whispered sorrowfully as she glanced to the weather witch. "Ah wish ah didn't have this stupid curse, it only destroys everything an' everyone ah get close t'." Storm sympathised with the woman. Logan had told her as much as he could about Rogue's original power and how it was that she seemed to have so many. She may not have had a small world full of people in her head or thousands of powers to beckon at her every whim, but she did control one of the most unpredictable things on the planet and in that sense she understood what it was like to never feel fully in control, even if you looked it.

"You know I still don't have full control of my powers." Ororo smiled as she spoke. "If I get angry or upset my control slips and anything can happen to the weather. Torrential rain, thunder storms, hurricanes, anything that fits my mood." Rogue glanced at her the tears no longer falling. "I have been blamed for many things in my life, both those within and out of my control. Remy is just feeling confused right now. You shouldn't trust any rash things he says or does."

"Ah can't blame him for bein' angry." Rogue informed her as she glided through the air at a gentle pace.

"Maybe not, but still, Remy is a very passionate young man and more often than not his emotions take over. Sometimes he forgets to think with his head and not his heart." Ororo offered a small smile. "He needs a someone, even if he won't admit it. He's scared Rogue, terrified by what he feels for you. I haven't seen him look at any other woman in quite the same way he looks at you." Rogue paused and glanced back in confusion. Her brow was furrowed as she tried to determine if she had been told the truth. Did Remy feel for her? She hadn't thought so and yet here was one of his closest friends telling her that he did. Ororo saw the doubt in her eyes. "I would not gain anything from lying to you about this." She informed hoping that the girl would believe her words.

"Ah . . . ah need t' be alone. Ah need time t' think." Ororo nodded and allowed the southern bell to flying away without her in pursuit. Maybe she had been wrong after all, maybe she had thought the worst of the girl when she should have been expecting much better than she could have hoped to expect. Maybe she was exactly what Remy needed after all.

* * *

Rogue sat on the peak of the roof; she had been there for a few hours since her conversation with Ororo. This was quickly becoming a common occurrence, just sitting there thinking and allowing the breeze to wrap her in a protective layer of ignorance. She was grateful for nature's 'silence' as the gentle sound of the breeze carried the noise of cricket and song birds to her ears. It was early morning now, a whole day had passed since the restaurant incident and yet she still could not shake herself free of the emotions eating her insides. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath enjoying the breeze that caressed her skin. Her eyes gently fluttered open as the intoxicating scent of a familiar figure was carried to her on the breeze.

"You should be resting." She whispered wondering how he could have possibly managed to get himself onto the roof in his current state.

"Hank said I was well enough t' leave de infirmary. Said," He paused and she furrowed her brow afraid of the onslaught of anger she was expecting. "He said dat ya did somethin' t' me, somethin' dat be healin' me. Said I shouldn't have even made it back t' de mansion de other day." His voice was calm and she was sure she could sense his gratitude towards her, but his emotions were hard to read and she didn't fully understand them. She tugged on the sleeve of the jumper she wore and kept her eyes facing the tiles of the roof.

"Ah'd understand, if ya wanted meh t' leave." She told him as she released the jumper sleeve and just wrapped her arms around her body, encasing it in a solitary hug. Remy shook his head.

"Non, don' want ya leavin' jus' cause ya tried t' help." He shifted awkwardly. What could be so hard for him? She didn't understand why he couldn't say what he obviously wanted to and it only scared her more. He shuffled along the roof, not bothering to lift his feet properly as his shoes scuffed against the tiles. He made it to her side and steadily lowered himself to her side. She went to glance at him but remembering her eyes she quickly turned away again. "Been thinkin', 'fore I came up here." He tilted his head to one side as he tried to study her face but she just pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them while continuing to stare at the tiled roof. He remained quiet for a moment as he too glanced at the tiles. "Here." He whispered after what felt like an eternity of silence between them. His hand lay extended to her, pinched between his thumb and index finger was a playing card, the back facing her. She glanced at it hesitantly from the corner of her eye. "Promise it ain't gonna go boom." He joked as she gave him a quick one sided smile and took the card from his hand.

"Ah don't understand." She whispered as she turned over the card and studied the image of the queen of hearts.

"Always leave dat card for last, she be my lucky lady." As he spoke he waved his hand around as if what he had said was perfectly normal and made complete sense. She thought to the night before and recalled him using explosive cards to take out the soldiers. Was that what he meant? She was the last card he'd ever charge when using a deck. She wondered how he'd have time to fish her out of a deck during battle but she'd seen him so easily manipulate a deck of cards in his hand that it wouldn't surprise her if he could. "I guess dat ya were kinda dat card de other night." He muttered as if unsure that he knew how to get across what he was trying to say.

"Ah'm sorry." She whispered her apology, dragging her eyes from his view again as she slipped the card into a pocket on her jeans.

"No don' be." She forgot all about hiding her eyes as her head quickly turned to face him in confusion. Had she heard him right? Had he really said what she thought he had?

"What?"

"Don' be sorry." He offered her a gentle smile and she couldn't help but smile back. "Thinkin' 'bout it I never got round t' using dat card de other night. Didn't seem t' matter none though, maybe lady luck was dere fightin' wit' me."

"But ah-" Remy shook his head.

"None o' dat matters now." His eyes were so genuine and she let a smile spread onto her lips, accompanied by a few stray tears.

"Thank you." She whispered as she covered her mouth with her hand. Remy smiled as he reached for her cheek. She didn't back away she just let him run his thumb over her soft skin.

"Think ya pulled of Remy's eyes beautifully Cherie but he glad t' see ya gone back t' de old ones." Her mouth parted slightly as she reached up to run her fingers over the skin atop her high cheek bones.

"Really?" Remy nodded and caught the hand she had run over the same cheek as he held cupped in his own hand. Her eyes quickly felt to his lips where she forced them back to his eyes. She noticed him do the same. A strange surge of emotions ran through her body and she could swear they were all coming from the gloved hand Remy was touching.

He leant closer and raised his other hand into her curls. His breath tickled her cheek where it glided over it, she licked her lips and swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how dry her mouth and throat felt. Her lips parted of their own accord almost inviting him to her. She could feel butterflies swarming on her inside but they weren't in her stomach, they were in her chest fluttering about her heart. He dipped his lips down to hers they touched so briefly at first that she wasn't sure if she had just imagined the contact. But regardless of whether they had or not she knew she desired more. He'd backed out again just close enough for his breath to tickle the same place on her cheek that it had before. After a brief moment of being entranced by his lips and the stubble surrounding them she realised he was offering her the chance to decide if she wanted out. Her heavy lids fluttered up as she stared into his eyes, burn embers that she could feel etching themselves onto her very soul. Instantly her eyes drifted shut as she leant in and invited him to kiss her again. He did, gently and softly at first, each time their lips touched slowly getting longer before he seemed unable to hold back his feelings. His kisses became much deeper and long and she tried to fight the need to press her upper body against his knowing he was till tender. It wasn't long before she did give into the temptation and he moaned in a mixture of pleasure and pain. She instantly backed away, afraid she had hurt him.

He tugged on the hand in his hold as she backed away from him.

"Ah don't want t' hurt ya." She told him as his eyes begged her to return, she was sure if they could speak they would be whispering lustful wishes but she ignored if for fear of hurting him more.

"Ya won'." He informed her as he leant towards her again. Her breathing was deep from her lustful emotions. She could feel his lips nearly on hers and her breathing sped up in expectation but she backed away as he lent in. She smiled apologetically.

"You should be resting." She reminded him for the second time.

"Remy can take de pain, I ain't like de others." He told her. She swallowed again. Her breaths were still rushed and she couldn't stand it any longer, she needed to feel his skin on hers, she needed to feel his touch as it consumed her. She slipped one of her hands up into his auburn curls and pushed their bodies together. Again he moaned pleasure and pain no longer indistinguishable and she hesitated. "Ya won' hurt me." He reassured her as he pulled her against him. Both her arms hooked around his neck as his travelled through her hair. Their mouths moved with perfect timing, each touch inviting another as they knelt on the roof entangled in one another's embrace.

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That's all for now folks! Please leave a review I do read them all and appreciate them more than words can describe.


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